


In Lightning's Wake, Victory

by Jahaliel



Series: The Broken and Holy Songs [5]
Category: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (Video Game)
Genre: A little fluff a little angst, F/M, Fix-it fic, Rating and Warnings Subject to Change, Self-Harm, a LOT of alcohol, other characters may be added when they show up, other tags to be added if/when i think of them, probably a lot of OOC-ness in this one, striving for that good balance, the last three show up in ch 5, unhealth coping mechanisms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-06-27
Packaged: 2020-02-10 22:03:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 52,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18669253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jahaliel/pseuds/Jahaliel
Summary: Nemo wanted a fix-it fic for Sekiro.  This is a totally self-indulgent AU wherein she shows up and proceeds to turn the world upside down (and also falls in love but she wasn't expecting that).  Eventually it'll be a Severance Ending AU.





	1. Welcome to Ashina

**Author's Note:**

> welcome to my 110% indulgent fix-it. It's over 13k words and most of those are Chapter 5 so updates are going to be sporadic. Nemo's my OC and has been for years. Emma/Wolf happens because I think it's adorable. Covers the entire storyline and thus is spoilerific - consider yourself warned.
> 
> also shout out to LeonidasVIII because they're so awesome I feel the need to make sure everyone who clicks on this fic knows it. and while i'm shouting out - Zha is also really awesome as is DragonHoardsBookz. Just overall good eggs who deserve nice things.
> 
> and yay! sekiro is finally showing up in the fandom tags as an actual thing and i didn't have to type it all in.  
> (also is it just me who wants to bundled Kuro up in blankets and take him somewhere far away from the plot...?)

She is meditating in the mirror hall as she often does, when one of the mirrors begins to chime, mournful and fierce with it - so distressed that the others begin to hum in sympathy. Nemo rises and goes to stand before the glass and placing a gentle hand on its edge she whispers "Show me." And she sees; a trusted (beloved) man (friend) fall to a blade - not in a fair fight but in honorless victory (and her blood rushes overwarm at the treachery). She hears the crying of a child and the mournful whistle of a little reed flute. "Let me see further." she asks and witnesses the lord who'd cut down the trusted one demand power he'd no right to, whose eyes burned when he was rightly refused. Left alone the boy sits on the roof, watching the mountains, trying not to cry. "I will help," Nemo said, "allow me to pass." the mirror's surface rippled and then she stepped and was gone from Vidas.

Lord Kuro was startled out of his grief by a kind voice - unfamiliar, asking "Why do you cry?"  
He turned to see a woman - her hair a deep violet, wearing a strange layered dress - watching him with concern, and he answered "Because my shinobi, I think he is dead."  
"You think? Or you know?"  
"He shouldn't be, but... I can't feel him."  
"I see... may I assist you?"  
The boy tilts his head curiously "How could you help?"  
She kneels down next to him, holding out her hand "If you will take my hand and think hard on your, shinobi?, I will see what I can see."  
Kuro was curious but he detected no ill-will from the woman. He reached out and took her hand, thinking about fishing trips and a man who'd fought time and time again for him. She was silent, and then "He is in pain, but he lives," she smiled at the young boy, "He wishes to return to your side and doubtless will do all he can do to so."  
"Thank you. thank you lady"  
"you are most welcome," she replies.

"I just realised I have been lax in hospitality. I am Lord Kuro, will you join me for tea?"  
She rises and nods, "Thank you young lord. I am Lady Nemo d'Vidas."  
He leads her downstairs and makes tea for them both, she sits opposite him and when the tea is poured raises her cup in a toast  
"To hearth, health and happiness."  
He raises his own cup back and over one of the nicest black teas Nemo's had in years they chat. As they talk Nemo is overwhelmed by a desire to bundle the young lord up in blankets and take him far from this place. She knows she cannot so instead she offers what she can, "Lord Kuro, I would like to offer you an alliance."  
"Alliance?"  
"Yes - I am the Lady of Vidas and would ally with you against those who would overrule you."  
"I feel that I cannot bring what is needed to an alliance."  
"Lord Kuro, may I speak frankly with you?"  
He nods so Nemo continues "Vidas is peaceful, content and secure - your home is none of these. But you - and the people who live here deserve that same peace and contentment. Let me assist you in helping yourself and then in helping the people of Ashina. And if in time our positions are reversed, remember me and help in turn."  
They formalise the alliance there and then.

It's easy to talk to Nemo, Kuro finds - she'd insisted he drop the formalities after he'd accepted the alliance. She's sensible with a weight and age in her eyes that makes him think she'd understand a lot of what troubles him. Right now though, he's annoyed that Lord Genichiro had locked the library in his room - he's so used to reading until he falls asleep when he's worried. Nemo sympathises, telling him of the library she'd had installed in her house - shelves that reached the ceiling full of books and how she misses it whenever she has to travel.

"When I can't sleep I often perform moving meditation. Would you like to learn some?" she offers, and at his curious look she stands, stretching - "when I move I know precisely where I am - the length of my arm outstretched, the way my foot needs to turn just so. I find it to be immensely grounding and relaxing."  
"I have seen meditations with a sword, and you carry blades?"  
"That I do, but there are many different types. My offer stands Kuro-venyi."  
"venyi?"  
Nemo smiles, "it's used in Vidas for allies, but also for friends - and I would very much like for us to be the latter."  
"I think I would like that as well, Nemo-venyi."

They go back up to the rooftop and Nemo begins to teach the young lord the moves she once taught to a hall of younglings. "See if you can follow what I do. These katas they are the base for many different styles. The simplicity is good for meditation and also for training yourself in how to understand your body." She steps through the movements and Kuro copies her. Nemo keeps a careful eye on his progress, he's unsteady but keeps trying and as time passes and the sun sets his movements smooth out and she sees the moment it clicks. He laughs with delight and Nemo smiles back at him "Nice work, try it again without me?"  
"Alright." He replies and then begins over, though his attention is focussed on Nemo who has moved into the opening kata of Soresu - one she and her padawan Obi would perform side-by-side for an hour at dawn nearly everyday throughout their apprenticeship. It's fluid and graceful and Kuro wonders if he could ever move like that.  
"You'll be able to eventually," Nemo says, and Kuro realises he spoke out loud - sensing his embarassment Nemo changes the subject  
"How do you feel, Kuro-venyi?"  
"Better, thank you for showing me this."  
She offers a hand and he finds himself swept up into her arms "I'm glad it helped. I'll come every evening I can so we can practice together if you like."  
"I would like that." Kuro's not sure what to think about being carried downstairs and laid into bed but Nemo is warm and she strokes her hand over his hair like his mother did.  
"My mother. Sometimes she would sing." he says, sleepily.  
Nemo takes the cue and begins to sing lullabies from her homeland and it's not long before he drifts off to sleep.

She leaves him and goes out into the castle to begin the work of the alliance - to strengthen the hearts and bodies of those who fight for Ashina, to listen and find out what orders they have received - the reports of orders from Lord Genichiro to kill all shinobi on sight worries her. She understands devotion - and the shinobi Wolf that Kuro speaks of with such sad fondness would likely stop at nothing and thus these orders cannot be for the good of Ashina - who will be left to defend her? Nemo makes sure she's not misunderstanding for the interior ministry army has its own shinobi - but they have distinct arms, purple and black.

It's easy enough to say that she's a healer and here to help. To walk among them and speak encouragement. And to play music for them as they drink by their fires. Several generals stop by and learn her name - she hopes they can draw the correct conclusion from her weapons. The healing though, that is what she's always found over the years is the best way to get people to trust you. There are men fighting for Ashina who thought they would no longer be able to, and it is because of her. Nearly a full day passes as Nemo travels around, letting the soldiers become familiar with her presence.

When she returns to the castle, she goes up to the roof to see if Kuro's there - he is and there is a lady at his side - she carries a sword and an umbrella that Nemo thinks is more than just for keeping the sun off. "Nemo-venyi, this is Lady Emma - she's a doctor and she looks after Lord Isshin." Nemo bows, "it is a pleasure to meet you Lady Emma."  
"Lord Kuro speaks most fondly of you for someone he has just met, Lady Nemo."  
Nemo smiles, a little toothily, "Kuro-venyi is my ally - and I was able to reassure him as to his shinobi's well-being." She notices Emma's eyes widen - and realises that the good doctor may know something about the shinobi. Nemo rests her hand on her sword "I am Nemo D'Vidas, the Lady of Vidas and I chose to ally myself with Lord Kuro the Divine Heir and through him to Ashina."  
Lady Emma turns to Kuro "I think you should wait downstairs Kuro. Lady Nemo and I shall have a chat."  
He looks at them seriously "You will not harm each other. Lady Emma, Lady Nemo is my ally and I will not have her hurt. Nemo-venyi, she is my friend."  
"Lord Kuro," it's Nemo who speaks, her eyes on Emma "You have my word. We are both doctors - those who would save a life, first and foremost."  
Emma nods in agreement, "No harm will come to your ally, Lord Kuro."  
"Very well." he heads back inside.

Emma draws her sword, and notices Nemo doesn't mirror the gesture - she keeps a respectful distance away, "I suspect you have questions," Nemo says, a flash of a grimace passing over her face.  
"Yes. What are your plans in regards to Kuro - and Ashina." Emma moves forward, swinging as she finishes the question - Nemo draws Kaedne in response and deflects the attack, sparks ricocheting. They begin to circle.  
"To answer your question, I must ask a question of my own, Lady Emma, do you believe in magic?" Nemo slices her sword forward and is not overly surprised when Emma uses that intriguing parasol to stop the blade, she dances back out of range of Emma's counterstrike.  
"Yes. Though I believe more in science."  
"One does not discount the other," several more flurries of strikes, blocks and counters then Nemo continues "Vidas is not near Ashina. In Vidas though there is a hall of mirrors. These mirrors can link between different places and often do if there is something I can change. Kuro's grief over not knowing the fate of his shinobi was enough to make the link. So I am here to assist him first and foremost and the land and its people after."  
Emma moves fast, her sword a blur of movement that Nemo barely deflects in time, moving back onto the defensive she asks  
"You're a doctor, and you reacted when I talked on lord Kuro's shinobi - Wolf I believe his name is. Tell me, have you seen him?"  
Emma counters Nemo's next thrust, sidestepping it with ease. "Yes. Master Wolf - he is alive, and adapting well to a new arm."  
"A prosthetic?"  
Emma nods and then jumps back to avoid a blade-lock with Nemo "Yes, he's getting used to it. I believe that soon enough he will return to Lord Kuro's side."  
"Any reason you didn't let Lord Kuro know that he was alive?"  
"Yes. I don't think you've met Lord Genichiro..."  
Nemo counters three quick hits and performs a wide sweep to give herself some space "Tall, young-ish man, has a large bow - wants something from Kuro that the young lord isn't willing to give. Potentially something going on beyond what can be seen in his eyes."  
"That's a fair enough description."  
"No I haven't met him in person yet. I think it's probably a good idea that I do not. If he means to harm Lord Kuro I will take his head."  
"That is fair - however he is the grandson of Lord Isshin."  
"And Kuro implied that Lord Isshin is the lord you serve."  
"He has given me orders to assist Master Wolf, however if Lord Genichiro discovers this."  
"He could countermand your orders - Lord Isshin is supposedly not well, thus this Genichiro holds enough power to do so."  
"If I keep you appraised of Master Wolf's progress perhaps you..."  
"I would be grateful for any updates you are willing to give."  
They slide their swords back into sheathes in near-perfect harmony. "You said you are also a doctor" Emma says as they head inside  
"Yes - a healer by hand and herb, magic and man."  
"Perhaps later - Lord Isshin is not well. I am doing what I can, but he is old and I worry."  
"I would be pleased to lend what assistance I can, Lady Emma."

They reassure Kuro that they've not killed each other, and Nemo heads off to see to the men - promising to be back for dinner and to make herself available to Lady Emma whenever the lady requires for talk of healing, assistance with healing or for sparring. Emma nods her thanks and then addresses Kuro, "Lord Genichiro will probably come see you this evening."  
He nods, "I understand. Thank you, Lady Emma."  
She smiles and goes back to the Temple where a Wolf has returned and is waiting for her with a gourd seed to add to his medicinal waters.

Nemo is coming upstairs when she hears Genichiro talking with Kuro, all but demanding that he be accepted into immortal oath. She hides herself with a twist of her hand and moves carefully into the room - it's strange to her, this demanding, as surely if it is an oath that causes the immortality then it would need to be freely given. Kuro has a way with words that would put many politicians Nemo knows to shame, and Genichiro leaves without causing a fuss. "Does he understand the weight of what he is asking?" she asks reappearing next to Kuro  
"I do not think so Nemo-venyi, not truly."  
His emotions shine still in his eyes - though they are muted and Nemo can clearly see that the boy is upset. "Come upstairs, lets practice again before dinner. If you can remember the first two katas on your own I'll teach you the next."  
(Something aches desperately in Nemo's heart at how much Kuro lights up at her words)  
They practice and share a meal, and once again Nemo stays until Kuro falls asleep - this time telling stories of her homeland.

Emma returns a few days later and invites Nemo to go with her to meet the Lord of Ashina. Nemo at this point is immensely curious about the lord - and when they go up to his tower he stands to greet them. Nemo has to look up to meet his gaze, which is an unusual and satisfying feeling as she's slightly over 6 foot tall. He bows politely when Emma introduces her and Nemo returns the courtesy, bowing in the manner of her people.  
"Sit, sit," he tells them, and coughs a little - Nemo frowns and watches as Emma carries out an efficient check up. She turns to where Nemo is sitting and says "It's the cough that worries me the most."  
"Emma, you worry too much."  
She rolls her eyes, "He always says that. And then if I do not stay here and keep an eye on him, the Tengu makes an appearance."  
Nemo laughs "I had a friend who was much the same. No matter his physical state he'd be throwing himself back into the thick of things."  
"How did you cope?" Emma wonders  
Nemo's smile is a little smug around the edges "I tied him to his bed." Isshin and Emma both laugh, and Nemo asks "Would you like me to take a look?"  
"Yes, if that's alright with Lord Isshin," the formality is fond, it's obvious that she cares a lot for her lord.  
He shrugs, "If you must poke and prod, then go ahead."  
Nemo moves into his space, her hand gently rests on the side of his neck - before tracing down and lingering over his heart. 

She blinks slowly, and her vision changes - allowing her to see into Isshin's systems - the organs, nerves, blood vessels and deeper still. "If I had to hazard a guess I would think you were fond of the local alcohol." she says, even as she reaches inside herself for the healing power that runs through her veins - she fixes the liver damage and burns out several nasty cancers, repairing and strengthening as she goes. The cough is a symptom of a disease that she's unfamiliar with. She blinks again, and takes her hand away pretending very much like she doesn't feel the spark of connection at her fingertips. "I've not seen the disease that's causing the cough before. I think in time I could heal it though." She doesn't go into detail about how, knowing that doctors and patients and pretty much everyone did not think highly of empath healing - worried about the cost in all instances.  
"Thank you, for allowing me to do that." she tells Isshin who chuckles and replies,  
"Any time you like. Anyway if you two young things are done prodding an old man, I insist you stay for tea."  
They stay, and have tea - Nemo's content to mostly watch Emma and Isshin interact, though she does answer the occasional curious question. 

Isshin comments on Nemo's swords - and she smiles, "they are precious gifts."  
"Can you use them? I taught this one", he waves at Emma, "how to use a sword and she's very good"  
"We sparred earlier in the week, Lady Emma is indeed a masterful swordsperson."  
Emma smiled "it was a pleasure, truly. though you did not use your second blade..."  
"I rarely do, it is a blade made for a singular purpose and is ill-suited to sparring."  
Nemo then changes the subject, not willing to talk further on her weapon, "Lord Ashina, would you like to spar sometime? From what I've heard you've quite the talent."  
"I would indeed Lady D'Vidas, perhaps later this afternoon - there is a dojo for practice on the third level of the castle."  
"Please, call me Nemo - lady Nemo if you prefer but I've never been much for formalities. Shall we meet in two hours then?"  
"Certainly. I shall look forward to it."  
Nemo and Emma take their leave shortly after and converse for a time on healing both in terms of their patient but more generally.  
They are very like-minded and it's a fruitful discussion, "I will be heading back to the Temple shortly and likely am to remain there for a time."  
Nemo tilts her head "A wolf gaining strength."  
"Indeed."

Sparring with Isshin is a joy the like of which Nemo's not felt in decades, maybe centuries. She finally has an opponent whom she has to go full-out against and that is a wonderful delight. Their swords spark and clash as they dance, Isshin is both fast and powerful, and his weapon is to Nemo overlong - annoyingly so as it greatly reduces her chances to press advantage. When he moves back, sheathes his sword and settles into a crouched stance, Nemo is instantly wary and extends her senses out to try and give her warning about the coming attack - when it does, so fast his sword leaves trails in the air Nemo jumps back, just out of range and swears viciously. Isshin laughs at her, following up with a low sweep that forces Nemo to jump again - though this time she pushes herself forward and up to try and get around him but he's fast enough to block her incoming swing. She curses again - this time in a language Isshin doesn't understand, and performs a fast series of strikes that finally allow her to stop being on the defensive. 

It doesn't last long - unfortunately. A double down-swing fast and powerful enough that it rattles Nemo's teeth when she blocks it and she's back to blocking and deflecting again. But she sees an opportunity, one granted by the length of his sword - if she's fast enough to be inside the range of that cross attack she'd gain the victory. It's a slim chance though - and this is absolutely a master she's fighting. There's only been two others who have ever been able to match her like this and at slightly over 3000 years old, it's impressive (and another word. that Nemo is very much not thinking about.) They've been circling, exchanging brief back and forth volleys when he slips back into the stance and she knows, this is the only opportunity she's going to get. Her perception tickles in recognition and even as he lunges forward she runs straight at him, the blade touches her hair, strands falling to the floor below. A heartbeat. Then her sword's handle is up against his chest - if she'd not reversed it, it would have been a fatal hit.

He grins "I yield, Lady Nemo," stepping back he salutes her with his sword and then sheathes it.  
"It was a good match, Lord Ashina." she says in reply "I would very much enjoy the chance to do so again."  
"I would like that as well. Perhaps tomorrow."  
"Yes. I think the weather is turning. And men are often reluctant to fight in stormy weather."  
"You worry about the ministry rats?"  
"I entered an alliance with Lord Kuro. The ministry's army is why Lord Genichiro's pressing him so hard for something he will not give. Thus a reprieve in the fighting is welcome indeed."  
"Genichiro is my grandson."  
"Lord Kuro is my ally," she replies with a shallow bow, "I will see you tomorrow - around the same time?"  
He nods "Farewell Lady Nemo."


	2. bad sword jokes and battle fury

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nemo meets Genichiro. It goes better than expected. Nemo spars with Isshin. It goes worse than expected but also maybe better? Nemo blames everything on the fever because its a useful scapegoat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading <3  
> this chapter went from 1.2k to 3.5k and now is a little over 7k words.  
> if that holds true for every chapter this is going to end up massive.
> 
> i upped the rating to M to be safe.

"So have you thought more on the disease?" Emma asks Nemo a few days later in what's become their daily ritual of morning tea, "You said you might have a way to fix it?"  
Nemo nods, "It's not going to be a fix you'll like though..."  
"Talk to me, my friend," Emma replies "I promise to listen."  
So Nemo tells her about her ability to resonance heal - empath healing. Because she keeps a low-level healing shield going at all time her body picked up on it and she's now able to heal quite a bit faster than normal and while she's used the ability more for transfer of wounds, she has successfully done illnesses a time or two as well.  
"So, if I am understanding right you're volunteering to take this illness from lord Isshin that neither of us understand into yourself." Skepticism laced Emma's voice. "And then you'll deal with it better?"  
"My theory is as I'm not from Ashina the disease is less like to be able to get a foothold in me - I'm not going to react the same way someone whose lived here a long time would."  
"Or it could kill you more easily before we can stop it."  
Nemo shrugs, "Emma, I'm not afraid to die - I mean, I'd prefer not to, but nothing about death scares me anymore."  
"Fine, I guess I can't stop you" Emma gives in, looking unhappy about it, "But I am going to make you medicines and you will take them all without complaining."  
Nemo smiles gently, "Of course I will. Thank you."  
"When will you do it?" she asks  
"I'd like to get it done sooner rather than later. How's the wolf in the wilds?"  
"Getting stronger every time I see him. Though I do worry about him a little - he was deep in the grip of an old memory last I saw him. I was going to head back to the temple tomorrow and stay there a few days to check on him. And the Sculptor too."  
"Well then I'll make the attempt in three days time. I'll visit Lord Ashina in the afternoon instead of you doing so."   
Emma frowns but knows that nothing she could say would dissuade Nemo from her task.

She and Isshin have begun to have regular spars - and they're always a joy. The time of day varies, this time he'd found her in the early morning and they go two rounds, she takes the first - the second ends in a dead-draw. When they match blades again, final time for the day they've been going back and forth for a bit, not really pushing for an advantage and then Nemo decides to make the overcompensating joke she's been biting back since the first time she saw his blade. Isshin roars with laughter, "Nemo," he says, dropping the honorific for the first time "that was terrible!" She grins back, pleased and then seizes advantage of his distraction to get him into a blade-lock to end the match "Terrible it may have been but it was also a successful diversion." 

After the morning spar, Nemo goes to the generals who are not as dismissive as shed feared - one even laughed and told her his wife would have his head if she heard him saying disparaging things about women fighting. They give her a mixed squad of soldiers to look after, both riflemen and swordmen. She takes them out and gets to know them, talks strategy and practices with them. She teaches them whistles to call attention and adds power to their armour to turn aside blades. They ask what else can they learn and she tells them heresy and when they agree shows them how to use their swords to redirect lightning after treating the handles with a resin that prevents the shock from traveling over the blade. They go on excursions down to the snake temple and there keep watch. Nemo earns their respect for her ideas and the Generals hear about it and ask Nemo to come to their planning session - her help acknowledged.

She knows it's a dangerous line to play, that integrating with the army like this means that sooner or later she's no longer going to be able to avoid Lord Genichiro. When it happens though, it's not in a way she suspects. It's the second day after Emma's left and Nemo's joined the Generals in the afternoon - they got to talking and decided to pass the time with a round-robin fighting competition. Nemo demurs, but eventually ponies up the fee they're putting into the pot. Lord Genichiro comes down while they're making up the draw order and well they were one short, so he joins in - and Nemo has a feeling about who it is she'll end up facing. It's fun though, to spar with such a varied group - some of the Generals prefer spears, others swords - many of them have very long swords and Nemo privately thinks that either Isshin isn't the only one overcompensating or it's just an Ashina thing. Nemo wins her way through her matches - never showing the full strength and skill she possesses, because she firstly doesn't need to in order to win, they're good for certain but they're not on Isshin's level, and secondly because depending on how things fall they may end up on opposite sides - Nemo's allied to Kuro first and foremost whereas these generals serve Genichiro, and Ashina.

Sure enough it's Genichiro that she will end up facing - the bow he carries will be an interesting challenge to meet, she's not sure how fast he is with it but imagines that it's pretty ridiculous. After all this is Isshin's grandson and Ashina's great general. She swears to herself as they begin to circle, the politics of this fight are such that she cannot win it. Making a general look foolish in front of his commanders is just not done. But she can't throw the fight in an obvious way because he's sure to notice and call her out on it. She moves in with a testing strike, which is well-countered and they begin to spar in earnest. Sparks fly when their sword meet - she doesn't draw Re'zunuh, though several of the watchers suggest it. When she tries to buy herself a bit of distance, Nemo has to deflect three quick arrows and that is indeed impressive, even the best of her acquaintances with the bow would have struggled to get three shots off in such a short time. She closes back in, sticking mostly to the defensive and tries to plot out how she can end this.

Isshin watches his grandson fight with Lady Nemo from the castle balcony, monocular zoomed in. He realises about two minutes into the fight that Nemo is not fighting at the same level she spars with him - he sees a couple of opportunities that she could have got a hit in that she just doesn't take - and then he realises that she's throwing this fight. With that thought in mind her movements begin to make sense - and when Genichiro goes for his bow a second time and she doesn't dodge them all - one of the arrows hits home - lodging itself just below her left shoulder. But Nemo doesn't yield, stubborn thing that she is, instead she engages in a fast bit of sword play that ends up cutting off half the arrow. He wants to applaud as he watches her carefully appear to be slowing down. (He's not entirely sure it's on purpose - but his gut tells him that it is.) She steps back, sword held low and yields the match.

Genichiro take the win rather gracefully, and Nemo excuses herself shortly after to deal with the arrow still stuck in her shoulder. She goes to Emma's space and sits herself down, more annoyed about the fact the new robe she'd worn now had a hole in it. She's swearing up a storm a few moments later - part of the arrowhead has broken off inside the wound and it's at a really bad angle for Nemo to be able to get at it herself. Applause interrupts her diatribe, she contorts herself to see Isshin standing in the doorway, "I've not heard a recitation that vicious in a long time," he says, moving into the room so that Nemo doesn't have to strain herself to see him.  
"You've not heard anything yet," she mutters, focusing back on her task, "part of the bloody arrowhead broke off and it's being stubborn about coming out."  
"May I assist? You seem to be having difficulty."  
She looks up, "oh. thank you - if you would."  
He takes the tweezers from her hand, and Nemo creates a small ball of light to help him see, "I think it's towards the bottom of the wound."  
Leaning in, grateful for the light Isshin spies it - "hold still," he tells her, she rolls her eyes in response, holding herself steady. It nearly escapes his grasp but he draws out a gore-covered piece of shrapnel. "I think that's all of it," he says, and Nemo closes her eyes, checking for herself, "yes that's it. thank you Lord Ashina."

He moves away and watches as she takes water and irrigates the wound before placing a hand over it and there's a golden light that shines briefly, a faint redness the only remaining sign of the injury when it fades. Nemo makes free with Emma's ingredients, mixing up a potion that will reinforce the healing she just did, and hopefully prevent infection. Isshin watches and then asks "You threw that fight with my grandson didn't you?"  
Nemo drinks the potion she'd made then replies "Yes. I couldn't, not in front of his generals. He deserves their respect and my beating him would jeopardise that."  
"Maybe so, maybe not. I take it getting shot was part of the plan?"  
"Yes, but if you try and tell anyone, especially Emma that it was my deliberate choice, I will go to my grave denying it."  
He nods, "Very well. Will you be alright?"  
"I'll be fine and tomorrow I'll be coming over in Emma's stead."  
"I shall make sure I am not present." he says jokingly. "Good night then, Lady Nemo."  
"Good night Lord Ashina."

Nemo goes to visit Kuro and after he greets her she holds out a gift - in her hand is the library key, she'd palmed it from Genichiro during the afternoon. Kuro's eyes go wide with surprise and delight "Thank you Nemo-venyi."  
"You're most welcome. I'd recommend keeping it locked most of the time though as I'm sure the young lord will realise it's missing."  
"That seems sensible. Will you still come and teach me those meditations?"  
Nemo smiles "If you wish it, then I shall."  
"Good. May I offer you some tea?"  
"Please, tea would be welcome."  
They pass a pleasant evening together - Kuro's in a talkative mood and it makes Nemo smile to see him so.

The next day she goes to visit Isshin as she said she would. He grumbles but lets her check him over, commenting on the smell of gunpowder that lingers on her hands. Nemo tells him in turn about her men, and how they'd been practicing for distance shots and it'd turned into a friendly competition which they'd challenged her to join. She wasn't a fan of guns, but had taken the weapon and shot the target from further than all of them, dead center too. They asked about why she didn't like the weapon and Isshin also voiced curiousity about her reasoning. She shrugs and tells him the same thing she'd told the others, "I have enough blood on my hands that even if I spent the rest of my life healing I doubt my debt would balance. So that I never forget the weight of the balance and the lives I take I choose to kill up close. It keeps me accountable."

Nemo moves behind Isshin, her hands on his shoulders - the massage a distraction as good as any for whats shes about to do. She closes her eyes, breath steady, refusing to allow her tension to show and she reaches. Calling without words - look, here's fresh blood, a new body for you to corrupt and when something reacts she grabs on to it and metaphysically pulls, feeling it seethe and settle in her blood and she keeps going until there is no foulness left in Isshin on any level that she can sense. Her hands continue to move calm and steady while she completes her usual strengthening and rejuvenating work. It takes better this time too she notes (if this were Vidas, Isshin would be middle aged as its quite common for her people to live well past a century without losing capability.)

Her eyes snap open and weakness surges through her - careful to keep it off her face and out of her voice, she finishes the massage and then moves back around to pour tea for then both, handing one cup to Isshin she asks “how do you feel?”   
He smiles and replies “like I'm years younger. Whatever you did worked wonders.”  
She sips her tea, enjoying the flavour. “That's good to hear. So you'll need to spend the rest of today resting to let the healing settle in - no sparring, no sake just rest.”   
Isshin polishes off his drink and pours another cup, Nemo shakes her head when he offers her a refill. “What if I refuse? Will you tie me to the bed?” He asks, curiously.  
“While tempting, instead of struggling with your stubbornness, I could just, well, drug your tea…” Nemo salutes him with her teacup a smirk playing on her lips. The look of shock on his face is a sight to behold; Nemo will treasure it for a long long time.  
“But you….” he says, feeling sleepiness washing over him as Nemo reaches over to take his cup.   
She chuckles and replies "Sleep well, Lord Ashina."  
"Isshin," he murmurs fighting back heavy eyelids, "least you can do is call me Isshin if you're drugging me."  
His eyes flutter shut but not before he sees the pleased look on Nemo's face at his statement.

Emma catches him as he slumps, having come in towards the end of the conversation. Nemo stands gritting her teeth against a wave of dizziness and helps Emma get Isshin onto his bed.   
“Did it work” she asks as they leave the room together. Nemo holds up a hand gesturing Emma to wait and then bends double as she coughs hard enough that she worries about her ribs “Fuck. She swears and then “as you can see, yes it did."   
Emma grabs her arm, "Well now you'll have to submit to my tender mercies."   
Nemo leans heavily on her friend, "As you wish, Emma."  
As they walk Emma asks, "I was wondering how did you get the sleeping draught into lord Isshin's tea?"  
"I didn't, it was in the pot because otherwise it would've been suspicious."  
"Yet you are not asleep and you also drank a cup?"  
"Not even drowsy, I did drink less but I've a high level of tolerance to soporifics." She shrugs, "I've been in too many situations where they would have made things worse and so now it takes a lethal dose for most people to even knock me out."

Once they reach her office/laboratory Emma pushes Nemo down onto a low seat and begins to pull ingredients off the shelves. Nemo curses as pain surges, coughs wracking her frame and she shudders after they've done, looking back over at Emma who is busily measuring liquids with an expert eye. “Do you still think it's less effective because you're not a local?” She asks Nemo, adding three drops of something into the flask.  
“Yes," she clears her throat, "despite this sounding so awful, I can already begin to see the shape of what this is, and if I can see it I can fight it."

Emma brings over the potion "Here, this should help." Nemo takes it, knocking it back like a shot and then makes a face at the taste. “Don't these usually have a sweetener in them? Honey or such?"  
Emma's tight smile is viciously pleased “Usually.”  
Nemo's eyes widen in realisation, “Oi! I thought we were friends. When I can breathe again I'm going to get revenge for this.”  
“We are friends," Emma says unruffled by the threat, "and I was not... am not pleased that my friend is risking her life."  
Nemo tilts her head in acknowledgement, feeling the constriction on her lungs ease, “Emma… thank you for helping me regardless. I appreciate it.”  
“And while I'm not happy with your decision, I am still grateful to you for doing so.”  
Nemo smiles "by the way - I've had word, the ministry is planning a large-scale attack the day after tomorrow. it would be a perfect time for a shadow to sneak past the castle gate guards in the rush."  
"You'll be fighting?"  
"Yes."  
"I'll make more medicine for you then - this one helped?"  
"It eased the constriction on my lungs - I'll be burning out as much as I can myself, so if you could combine the cough medicine with a fever reducer than would be advantageous."  
"Hmmm... Yes I think I can do that."  
"And you should definitely add honey next time, it's got good medicinal benefits."  
Emma laughs "Don't push it, Nemo."

The next day, Isshin's feeling much better, and it's just a tiny bit galling that Nemo was right about resting. He heads across to the dojo wondering if the lady felt like sparring today. As he approached he could hear two voices - so he shamelessly leaned against the wall to listen in.  
"Emma, sweet lovely Emma why won't you add honey to my medicine?"  
"You know why. Besides, I know you carry honey, why don't you do it yourself?"  
"I know better than to mess with a potion someone else makes."  
"Good. And what did you promise me before you were a fool?"  
Nemo sighs loudly, "No complaints, I take whatever remedy you make me. Sorry, Emma."  
"Accepted. Also I want to see you drink that you know, it's not going to help you by sitting in that flask."  
There's an indistinct grumbling, followed by the sound of someone, Nemo he guesses, drinking. "Blah. Emma you're a wonderful friend."  
"And when you can say that with gritting your teeth I'll believe you." Emma notices his presence on leaving the dojo, and bows to him but says nothing about what he'd overheard.

He goes in and sees Nemo moving through some warm-ups. She seems a little paler than usual - and he wonders just how unwell she is and whether sparring would be a good idea.  
"If you refuse to spar because you are worried about my health, I will call you a hypocrite and possibly drug your tea again." she says without turning.  
"Am I not allowed to be concerned?" he asks mildly, beginning his own warm-ups.  
She finishes her stretching and turns to face him, "Of course, Lord Ashina. Your concern is appreciated."  
"I seem to recall telling you to call me Isshin..."  
Nemo smiles just a little "You were drugged at the time, I thought to wait for an invitation when you were in your right mind."  
"Consider yourself invited, Lady Nemo."  
She raises her blade in salute "Lord Isshin, shall we?"  
He settles himself, drawing his sword in a smooth motion "As you wish."

Fighting against Isshin when she's healthy and on top of her game is a challenge, and now Nemo is in trouble. The sickness still lingers though Emma's potions, despite their awful taste have done a good job at getting the cough under control. Mostly she's just running a fever, literally burning out the illness as she goes but her reflexes are just that bit slower and her strength still that much weakened that it's difficult to keep up. She appreciates that Isshin has apparently decided to take her at her word and is by no means pulling his blows or slowing his attacks. Well she doesn't appreciate it when she's barely able to block and can hardly catch her breath but at the same time she does - obviously the fever has done something to her brain. 

There's only one way this is going to end, and it's barely ten minutes later when her sword goes flying, and she stumbles to her knees. Her breath rasps unsteadily as she feels the cool steel of Isshin's sword against her neck. Nemo looks up at him, she doesn't know what expression is on her face but she watches his eyes darken. "Yield, lady." he says, and the sword presses just enough to cut skin. She blows out a breath as he slides the sword tilting her chin up and he tells her "you make me wish I was twenty years younger right now."  
The words hit Nemo like a sledgehammer, and she moves - uncaring of the slice the steel cuts she rocks up to her feet within his sword range and tells him "If you don't want that to matter, it doesn't." He doesn't reply for a long hanging moment - and she shrugs, "Eh, never mind then. Thanks for the match, Lord Isshin."  
She goes to move away and grab her sword and he reacts. One arm wraps around her waist and his sword is back at her neck "You didn't yield, Lady Nemo," he growls.   
She reaches up and moves the sword away with two fingers, "Solah," she says indifferently, "I yield." and he lets her go.

"Why doesn't it matter?" he asks as she picks up her blade, the wounds he'd left on her neck still bleeding.  
She doesn't look at him, " Because I find you attractive? Because you're intriguing? Because you can match me in a fair fight - and to be fair, even if I wasn't... less than my best you would have beaten me eventually.,, Because you likely understand what its like to make hard decisions and then keep living? Because I care about you? Because something in me is drawn to you in a way I haven't felt in..." she trails off "you know what, this is awkward. I shouldn't have made it awkward. I appreciate you spending the time to spar with me." Nemo bows and then gets the heck out of there, fast enough that Isshin can't react. 

Well... he thinks, that was not how I expected this to go. For a moment he wishes for his friends - all scattered to the wind now, because they'd laugh at him and then prod him into trying - they'd done so a few times after his wife had died but until now, no-one had caught his interest. Fortunately for him, he knows where to find Nemo most evenings - she spends a lot of time with the young lord Kuro. 

Nemo isn't running away. She's not. Not at all. That's why she's sitting in a room that was hidden behind a clever moving wall, on a chest behind a screen. Fuck, but she didn't mean to say any of that. She meant it, but she... she's not the kind of person who has a lot of luck in love and so would have preferred to keep this quiet and unrequited. Memories surge and she deliberately ignores them, they are dust to her. Instead she tried very hard to think on nothing at all. Her neck stings from where she's healed the cuts, just enough to stop the bleeding, the rest will manage on its own - and she needs to conserve the strength she can to keep burning out this damn illness. She swears softly, going through all the words in all the languages she knows - which at this point is a lot. She wonders when someone will ask about the fact she can communicate with them just fine even though she appeared randomly on a rooftop one day and has stated several times that Vidas is far away. There's a window high up in the room - when the light begins to glow golden, Nemo sighs and reluctantly leaves the little sanctuary. Because she had promised Kuro to be there as often as she could, and she would not, despite the confusion in her heart, break a promise made freely.

He watches from the doorway as Nemo teaches Kuro the next set of steps in the katas she uses for meditation. She's patient, gentle with him in a way that makes Isshin think that she has taught before. "From the top," she tells him, and they move together slowly through the exercise. When they reach the end, Nemo offers a quiet "Well done."  
"I'm not as good at it as you are."  
"Kuro-venyi, I've had a lot more practice. You're doing well."  
"As much practice as Lord Isshin?"  
Nemo laughs, "Can you keep a secret," she asks him and when he nods, she tells him the truth, "I've been practicing these movements since before Isshin was born."  
Kuro's eyes go wide "You are..."  
"Yes. For years now."  
Isshin decides to reveal his presence, and think on what he's overheard later "Lady Nemo is right, Kuro. You are doing well."  
Kuro lights up at his presence, and Nemo - her eyes are wary but her smile is pleasant "Would you like to join in our lesson, Lord Isshin?"  
"That would be lovely," he replies  
Her smile grows more genuine and she asks Kuro to teach Isshin as much as he can remember from the first set, reassuring him that she'll help if he misses anything. Once they've made it all the way through the exercise, Nemo only needing to step in a couple of times Kuro asks her, "Now it's time for you to do your favourite."  
She laughs and bows, "As you wish."   
The opening kata from Soresu, the form of endurance that her bond-brother had taught her flowed easily - she performed it three times, once open-handed, once with one blade and the final time she drew her second sword and performed the jar-kai variation. Kuro applauds and there's appreciation in Isshin's eyes when she stops - she knows that he sees what her young ally misses, when Re'zunuh cuts along her hand for the blood price the sword demands, since Compassion's death.

"Storytime now Nemo-venyi?" Kuro asks as she sheathes the blades.  
"Storytime, lets see..." She moves over, sweeping Kuro up and carrying him inside, aware of Isshin following. He leans against the wall as unobtrusively as he can get.  
"How about the time my friend and I pranked the senior council of Masters at my school and covered them all with glitter." The tale is a fun one, and Nemo speaks fondly about her friend - it's a good memory and by the end of it, Kuro's asleep. Nemo settles the blanket over her ally (child-of-her-heart) and then looks up to meet Isshin's gaze, raising her eyebrows at him. He comes over to her, holding out his hand. She takes it, and he pulls her to her feet and escorts her back to his rooms. 

He pours them both sake, and Nemo takes the cup, drinking it while very carefully not making eye contact. She hates feeling this shy, this uncertain but it's been a long, long time since her last relationship. Eventually Isshin breaks the silence, "Lady Nemo," he says - wanting her to look over and deciding to try for a reaction "How old are you?" the question is abrupt and rude but he doesn't care.  
"Old enough," she replies, refilling her cup with sake, draining it in one swallow and filling it again. "It's been a... a long time since I've done anything like this." she adds, finally looking up.   
He smiles and jokes "Drinking sake?" hoping to make her laugh.  
She shakes her head and chuckles - a small victory but Isshin will take it. "Vidas' climate doesn't lend itself to rice growing. We have plenty of different kinds of alcohol but alas, no sake. It's one of the things I'm enjoying about Ashina."  
"We make the best sake," he replies "always have."  
She toasts him in response, this time savouring the sweet-burn of the drink.   
He tilts his head and offers a conversation hook, "Would you tell me about your school? The teaching? You're very patient with Kuro."  
"It's easy to be patient with him, he's a good kid and needed a friend." Nemo smiles fondly, "Well I started taking one of the advanced weapons classes after a Master caught me making up my own pattern dances..." The conversation meanders and before they know it, the night's grown old. "I should let you sleep," Nemo says with a smile and stands - Isshin gets up and comes over to her, clearly telegraphing his intent, he leans down and at her slight nod, kisses her. It's bright-sparking potential and over too soon. "Tomorrow," he says when he lets her go.   
"Sleep well, Isshin." she replies.

She doesn't sleep - not with the battle coming, and so she goes down to the armoury. Her men have the reinforcements and protections she can give but, she has time and there's no-one not deserving of a little extra help. She's busily using armour polish that she's enchanted herself with a mild shielding spell - it's enough to stop a fatal wound at least once when a shadow falls over her. Nemo looks up to see Genichiro and inclines her head "Greetings, Lord Genichiro. Forgive me for not rising."  
He nods back "Lady D'Vidas, I had hoped to speak with you."  
She finishes the armour she's working on and sets it aside "I'm listening," she says "unless you want to go elsewhere?"  
"Firstly, what are you doing?"  
"Making sure as many sets of armour are maintained as possible before the dawn. I've already done so for my men but I saw no reason to deprive the others save for the lack of time."  
"A worthy cause. Allow me to assist you."  
She doesn't let her surprise show on her face, and moves the pot of polish to sit between them. She keeps one eye on him as he works but it's obvious that he's done this kind of thing before so Nemo turns back to her next set. After a while of working in silence Genichiro asks "Has your shoulder recovered? I had not the chance to ask before - you're a hard woman to find."  
"It's quite recovered, thank you Lord Genichiro."  
"I am glad to hear it. I will not apologise..."  
"There's no need to do so. We were sparring, you used your skills to best me. There's nothing to apologise for in that."  
"I am glad we understand each other," he replied and Nemo gave him the smile she'd perfected for politicians who lived and died without knowing how she truly felt about them.

"Thank you, for your help, my Lord." she tells him when false dawn lights the sky - and it's true, because of his assistance they've gotten through the majority of the armour. "You're welcome, Lady D'Vidas." he replies standing to go, "Good fortune on the battlefield."  
"May your enemies fall before you Lord Genichiro," she responds, bowing. As he leaves she murmurs something under her breath in Videan - "may mine be the hand to end you should you raise yours against my own." Shaking off the mood, she goes to gather her things and then find the generals to see where she and her men will be located. They will be part of a group of several squads who will be trying to funnel the enemy towards Gyobu and the courtyard. Lightning flashes high in clouds overhead - and Nemo's lips curve. 

They fight - her men are doing an excellent job and Nemo covers their backs. She drinks the medicine Emma left her in-between the rushes of the enemies. Her blade sings, and when things are getting rough she calls the lightning. It comes through her blade, sweeping in a wide arc and Yukiya catches it on his sword, reflecting it around to Seiji and that one streak of lightning takes out five men. Nemo sees an orange-clad figure, sword out, sneaking past the fights - she makes sure that those fighting with her do not spot him. The shinobi moves on and Nemo hopes that he'll be able to make it into the castle alright. She sees one of her gunners take a sword to the arm and stabs his attacker through the throat. "General," he acknowledges her. She takes his arm and heals it, fast and a little sloppy, but she takes the backlash herself to deal with later, "I've got you. Keep fighting."

The funnel is working surprisingly well - but when Nemo takes a moment to reach out towards the courtyard it's a different story. Men are dying - both sides but the Ashina cannot take these kind of heavy losses for long. Things have quietened down and Nemo finds one of the other Generals - "I want to take my men in,"  
"Will it help? Or is it just for glory?"  
Part of her, that she rarely acknowledges, loves war, loves the fight to survive, loves the hot blood spilling out. She swallows it down and thinks tactically, her men are important but so are the others. "It will help," she says her eyes narrowed.  
"Then go. We can hold here."  
"May our enemies fall before us,' she replies then whirls. "To me," she calls - whistling high and loud. They gather behind her and she takes a breath and draws Re'zunuh from her back. The blade glows with a green-blue flame and when she draws it a song fills the air - it inspires those fighting with her but terrifies those she fights against, and when they arrive in the courtyard the ministry lines break on the terror of that song, every time she swings the katana, it claims a life. Nemo fights with recklessness lightning sparking on her other blade - her men take up defensive positions - the gunners are aiming for arms and legs protected by a group of the swordsmen. The remaining handful of sword fighters stick with Nemo, and they crush the enemies - those who run forward are met by Gyobu and his spear. He's insane and powerful and Nemo makes sure that no-one among her group gets anywhere near him because friendly fire is a reality.

When it's over, she checks in with her men - they're all alive and only one or two have wounds that need healing. She takes care of them then asks that they help with getting the other wounded to the infirmary. She'll check out the tower on the side of the courtyard in case there's anyone who took refuge within it or any lingering ministry rats. There are in fact two people in the tower, a shinobi and a Tengu. They don't see her so she shamelessly eavesdrops on their conversation turns out Wolf took out some Senpou assassins for the "Tengu" who looks mightily familiar. Suddenly Nemo understands Emma's frustrations with her lord - she reaches out with her healing sense and checks that the Tengu hasn't damaged any of her work. When Wolf leaves, placing a scroll carefully away, Nemo is waiting, he draws his sword on her but she's alright with that paranoia. "I'm an ally of the Divine Heir." she tells him "Come with me."  
He follows, reluctantly and Nemo shows him a back way into the castle "Stay safe, stay cautious and if you can avoid violence do so."  
"Where should I go once I'm inside," he asks her quietly  
"To the rooftop of the castle. Lord Kuro often spends his afternoons up there." she replies. "Good luck."

Nemo is helping Emma when she feels Kuro's distress. She whispers an apology and goes, force assisted jumps get her up the rooftops in record time and she ends up lingering in the doorway listening to Genichiro talk Kuro into giving him the oath - he's desperate, today has proven that Ashina cannot be defended by normal means - Nemo think pessimistically it's likely Ashina will fall regardless - and Genichiro is about as close to begging that a man of his stature and nature can ever get. She knows Kuro doesn't want this, and is about to step out and interfere when Wolf lands behind them.   
"I have come for you, my lord." he says and Nemo sees Kuro's face light up - with relief and heartbreaking joy. Genichiro is not impressed and the two men begin to fight. She gives Kuro a hug when he comes inside, and tells him to wait downstairs. "I do not think your Wolf will fail you. But Genichiro will go through me to get to you again. I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner."  
"It's okay Nemo. Thank you." He goes down the stair and Nemo turns her attention back to the fight.

Wolf is doing well - better than the last time they fought, though Nemo only caught the end of that battle in her mirror. He's not willing to give Genichiro the space to draw his bow and Nemo agrees with that decision as her shoulder twinges in memory. The storm clouds are gathering thick and fast - and it's not Nemo's doing this time, and her eyes widen as Genichiro reveals that he's embraced heresy. She wonders if Tomoe was a storm-blooded like herself and wishes for a chance to meet her. His sword is like hers, a conductor for lightning and it's Nemo's own mastery that deflects the first arc to ground next to the shinobi instead of through him. But after that first near miss he fights like he's been fighting lightning wielders for years - gets in the air and reflects the lightning and Nemo watches him and wishes to try it. Emma joins her at the door watching, and when Wolf strikes him down - a returned lightning had stunned the general leaving him open for the deathblow they watch as Genichiro gets back up again - he throws himself into the storm and Nemo, seized by something she doesn't quite understand grabs the lightning and follows.

The feeling leads her to a small cave on a mountain on the outskirts of Ashina. She walks in, making sure to not move silently "Lord Genichiro," she calls "I'm a healer. Can I help you." Eventually she finds him in a small rough-hewn room, wincing as he cleans the burns. She kneels down out of range, and repeats "I'm a healer, may I help you."  
"Why?" his voice is rough, marked by what he'd summoned "I'm a monster."  
"You want to defend your home with everything you have," she shrugs "I've healed men who've done more monstrous things for lesser reasons. Please, let me help."  
When he nods she moves closer, and her hands hover just above his skin, the burns from the lightning are bad, the killing wound has closed but the damage is not fully healed and there are other lesser sword wounds as well. His attention is drawn to the scarring that covers both her arms from wrist to elbow in fractal patterns. "Lightning whips," she tells him as she begins the slow work of cleaning and healing his injuries, "and a lack of a skilled healer to prevent the scarring."  
"You were wielding lightning. On the field - I saw you."  
"Yes. I am what is called in my country "storm-blooded" and I've always had an affinity for lightning."  
"Yet your scars."  
"Affinity does not mean invulnerability to, alas. But they are not the worst scars I bear."  
"Why are you helping me? You - you were on the rooftop and didn't interfere."  
"I'm an ally to Lord Kuro yes, so I was not going to interfere. I am helping you now because it is the right thing to do. Besides I'd not be able to look Lord Isshin in the face if I'd left his grandson to die of infection."  
"You know my grandfather? How did I go so long without seeing you?"  
"I'm easy to miss. And yes, Lord Isshin and I know each other - I've been helping Emma with treatments for his illness. This next part will hurt, I'm sorry."  
He bites back a hiss as she draws a knife and carefully removes the deadened flesh from around the lightning strike point. Once she's satisfied that no necrotic tissue remains she heals it over - hands glowing a soft gold. "There. I'll bandage the sword wounds for you as well if you would like my Lord."  
"It would be appreciated, yes."   
Once she's done she finds some pellets and passes them over. "What will you do now, Lord Genichiro?"  
He takes them "Rest. Think. Find a pathway forward."  
Nemo stands and bows to him, "For what its worth, I wish you good fortune."  
Genichiro inclines his head "Thank you. For the assistance." 

She goes and catches the lightning back to the castle and heads to the infirmary to continue to offer her assistance. She works long into the night, hoping that Kuro will understand why she didn't visit - and thinking he'd be glad for some time to spend with his shinobi. Once the last of her work is done, she cleans up and then wanders through the castle - considers going to the dojo to work of some energy but on her way she spies a light in Isshin's rooms. Drawn by something she still refuses to give name to, she goes over to see if the lord of Ashina is still awake. He is, and smiles when he sees her "Nemo, it is good to see you."  
Nemo smiles back and drops down to sit next to him, nearly close enough that they're touching. Between the battle and the lightning riding and the healing - well there's one good way to deal with that energy, so she takes a breath and asks as casually as she can manage "So, is your sword actually overcompensating?"  
An arm wraps around her shoulders and he kisses her, whispering "Why don't you find out."

She does.

Later, while he's sleeping - his arm firmly around her waist, she'd gone to get up and he'd told her to stay - Nemo is thinking on all that led her here and shes certain at this point she would do pretty much anything to keep Isshin Ashina happy and alive - save for sacrificing Kuro's wellbeing. And that scares her and warms her at the same time.


	3. Fushigiri

She goes to visit Kuro in the morning and finds him in the library. "Did you sleep at all?" she asks,  
"I think I did..."  
Nemo sighs "please look after yourself, Kuro-venyi."  
"I will. If I need to, I'll rest later. Do you want to know an interesting thing?"  
She sits down next to the desk, "Always."  
"I think Lady Emma likes Wolf." Kuro tells her, and she is delighted  
"How did you come to that conclusion?"  
"Well, she's been helping him all this time to get back to me, and he helped her with finding a cure for the dragonrot."  
Kuro leans closer "I overheard them after Genichiro had... left, she called him "dear"."  
Nemo laughs, pleased "What should we do about it?"  
"Nothing yet I think, besides inviting them over for tea at the same time."  
She nods "Wise idea. I'll be seeing Emma in a little bit, shall I tell her to come over this afternoon?"  
"Please do. Have you been practicing your writing?"  
"When I can. Things have been a little... busy of late."  
Kuro was a smart kid, and had asked about the language thing before any of the others had - he'd told her where to find some practice scrolls in the moon-view tower and was glad to get a chance to help her learn something in return for all she was doing for him. It's a quick lesson before Nemo goes to tea with Emma, but it's fun even if she's still very frustrated by how slowly the learning is going - it's a beautiful language to write in.

"So Emma, lovely Emma," Nemo greets her friend  
"Nemo. How are you feeling?"  
"So much better now - I've completely purged the illness and thanks to your remedies I'm nearly back to my best"  
"I'm glad to hear it."  
Nemo sat down and gave her best tell-me-everything look, "So I heard a rumour that maybe a certain Wolf had caught your eye..."  
Emma pours the tea - and while she's doing her best to appear unruffled her cheeks go a little pink "Gossiping?"  
"Of course, c'mon Emma, talk with me. It's the best part of having a female friend."  
They sip tea, Nemo waiting patiently, rewarded by "I don't know why but yes. He's..."  
"He seems kind hearted. And he cares about his lord. Not to mention he's a handsome man."  
"I had thought your tastes ran differently?" Oh and isn't that a fishing hook  
Nemo takes it - gossip's no fun if it's not a trade "I can still appreciate a good looking man even if my personal tastes do tend towards others."  
"Older men perhaps?"  
Nemo smiles, "Do not laugh. And yes, older men, though my first husband was younger than I." She'll explain that it's not just men who hold her interest some other time.  
Emma giggles as Nemo glowers at her "I'm sorry - it's just I can't see it."  
"No? Would you like an explanation? I'd be happy to give you one," her eyes are dancing with mischief and Emma's giggles turn into helpless laughter,   
"Please, no. I do not need that!"  
Nemo laughs as well, and then mentions that Kuro wants to have them come share tea that afternoon.  
"...Is Lord Kuro the source of the rumours Nemo?"  
"I would never reveal my sources, Emma."

She goes down to talk with her men, shares lunch with them - and lets them know it's likely she'll be leaving for a time, and that they would be serving under General Matsumoto who had been one of the others helping with the gauntlet in the big attack. She trusts his judgement and her men trust her. They press sen on her, so that she can "buy antidotes and dousing powders or whatever you need, General." She tells them she will be fine, but accepts when they refuse to take no for an answer - gladdened by the fact they care. She then goes to the general and lets him know, he promises to look after her men for her and that he will pray for her safe return.

Kuro spies Nemo coming into the room and waves her over "Nemo,"  
She crouches down next to him, "What are we doing Kuro-venyi?"  
"Giving Wolf and lady Emma the chance to talk without us."  
"Devious child," her voice is fond, "best take one of these then."  
She passes him a gaachin sugar, the kind that makes a person mostly invisible. The library being full of shelves helps hide them even more, and Nemo reaches out with a small notice-me-not shield because she's pretty sure that Wolf's survival has often depended on him being able to locate all persons in a room. Emma and Wolf arrive at the same time even, she comes up the stairs as he pops in through the window.

"Master Wolf," she calls and Nemo and Kuro grin, "It is good to see you."  
"And you, Lady Emma." They chat, slightly awkward at first but growing quickly more comfortable.  
"I wonder where my lord is?"  
"Lord Kuro - I thought he'd be in the library but I've not seen him." Kuro giggles and Nemo shakes her head and whispers "I think they'll start looking for us soon.  
You should go distract them." The gaachin wears off at that moment.  
"I am always in the library Lady Emma, I have research to do." calls Kuro as he goes into the main room.  
Nemo strengthens her notice-me-not, and then sneaks up to the stairs before dismissing it "Sorry I'm late," she calls, as she comes back down into the room.  
"Nemo-venyi," Kuro replies and he's grinning up at her, "may I introduce you to my shinobi? Lady Nemo d'Vidas this is Wolf, Wolf this is Lady Nemo d'Vidas, my ally."  
Wolf bows a little, and Nemo inclines her head "It is good to see you made it safely to your lord's side Master Wolf."  
"Thank you. And thank you for the assistance you gave me, Lady d'Vidas."  
"Nemo. I prefer to go by my name, and you are welcome."  
They sit down for tea together, and Wolf is - he's quiet which Nemo expected but she catches true warmth in his eyes when Kuro is talking to him. Emma and Nemo are quite able to carry a general conversation so it's a merry enough time. And when they'd sat down Nemo and Kuro had done so in such a way that Emma and Wolf ended up sitting next to each other - Emma had given Nemo such a look for that, she was glad she no longer needed the medicinal potions.

After a while, Kuro brings up the mortal blade - Wolf agrees to go look for it and it's Kuro who suggests Nemo should go with him. She nods, having expected something like this, though she's unsure why Kuro thinks it necessary. She senses Wolf wishes to argue but he bows to his master's will. "We will leave at first light tomorrow?" she asks   
"Yes. I need to make a visit to the Sculptor tonight. Meet me on the bridge to the west of the castle." He leaves shortly after, taking the shinobi doorpath to the mountains.

Nemo follows Emma back to her office after they've finished tea.   
"Emma, Emma dear would you help me?"  
"Maybe... What is it that you are wanting?"  
"I want to send Lord Genichiro some healing ointment - I use it on my scars and it really helps with not having the muscles seize. But... I can't actually write a letter to tell him."  
"Wait... How can I understand you if you can't write, you can speak just fine?"  
"I'm cheating." She pauses, and then says clearly "I enjoyed afternoon tea." She repeats the phrase and now that Emma's listening to it, there's an accent to her words. The final phrase she doesn't understand - but Nemo smiles and explains, "that last was the same phrase in my countries language. The middle phrase is in a language that is mostly magic, it's able to be understood by anyone, though I do like to learn the local language for myself. However it's limited to the spoken word. I have some practice scrolls from Kuro and he's been helping me learn to write but I'm nowhere near good or neat enough to send a letter to Lord Genichiro."  
"That makes sense. Give me a moment to get some paper and I'll write it for you."  
"Thanks Emma, you're the best."

A sealed letter sits next to a pot of ointment in a cave, delivered by an unseen hand. Genichiro opens it, and recognises the Lady Emma's handwriting, though it quickly becomes clear the letter was dictated by another.

"To Lord Genichiro, greetings,

I am not sure if you are still at this location however I decided I would send this letter nonetheless. Lady Emma is writing on my behalf though I will deliver this letter myself. There should be a pot of ointment with this letter, it is a balm for your scars and is efficient at assisting with the knots and troubles you will have in your muscles as you heal. I use it regularly and it greatly reduces the pain I endure though it does not completly halt it.

If I may offer some advice, take it slowly - your body has endured much and no matter what path you walk I would see you walk it well. To use the balm apply a thin coating over your scars and allow it to sink in. Repeat every few hours for the first week and then twice daily for the next. There should be enough balm in the container for this. If you wish for more after that, simply leave a letter with the empty pot in this location. I will replace it with a full one within a day.

We walk separate paths but I do not think our goals are dissimilar. And I wish you well in your recovery and your journeys.

Lady Emma on behalf of Lady Nemo d'Vidas.

Nemo's not seen Isshin today, between letter writing, lunch and tea with Kuro she wasn't able to get to their usual sparring - and thus is not surprised when he shows up as she is packing up her travel bags.  
"You're running?" he asks - the accusation is gentle in tone, though he would very much like an answer.  
She takes a deep breath, and gives him the honesty - he deserves that much from her, deserves so much more than her. "I am."  
"It's not been that bad? Us?"  
"Not at all, Isshin," she replies, looking up and he sees for a moment all she does not say in her eyes. She smiles "I enjoy spending time with you."  
He sits down next to her, " and yet you're running."  
"It's not you, it's me..." she grimaces "and because I just used that awful line... please don't interrupt and I'll try to explain."  
He watches as she packs and unpacks several items seemingly at random, and he waits, patience comes more easily to him these days.  
"I wasn't lying when I said it'd been a long time since I'd done anything like this. And last time... The last time I felt like this, it ended...poorly."  
Isshin doesn't say anything, but he offers his hand and Nemo takes it, grateful, focusing on his fingers she tells him "I know you know I'm immortal - you're not a subtle eavesdropper. They wanted to be immortal too - said they didn't want to leave me alone. I... I believed them, and I was... I'd been lonely for such a long time. I believed them. Less than a century later they came to me and told me they couldn't do it any longer."  
He squeezes her hand, seeing her fight back tears; she blinks hard, they're dust and gone, not worth crying over. "So once more I gave them what they asked for. Gave them the mercy that they wanted. And hated myself, for having to do so and for believing them in the first place."

It's hard to know what to say to that, Isshin understands the loss of a loved one - but if he's understanding correctly Nemo was the one they had asked to end it. And he can't imagine that kind of love. The kind that would direct anger and hate back onto oneself instead of (in his opinion correctly) outward. He wonders what it would be like to be loved that much by someone like Nemo. The fact she speaks of a century as a short time - he wonders how long it's been since that relationship but doesn't feel like it's the right time to ask. In lieu of all the things he doesn't know how to say Isshin tugs her hand, she allows him to pull her into a hug.  
"When you get back," he says after a while has passed, "come and see me. I'll worry."  
"Of course," she replies, gives him a tiny smile "I would like that. And..." He waits patiently for her to find the words "And as long as you want, there can be an us."  
"Thank you." because what else can he say and he kisses her goodbye.

She meets Wolf at the bridge just as the first light of dawn begins to brighten the horizon. He bows briefly to her, "Lady Nemo."  
"Master Wolf."  
The shinobi moves fast - his prosthetic is advanced and holds several tools including a grapple hook - Nemo's impressed and wonders if he'd let her take a closer look at it. He crouches on the rooftop looking back at her expectantly. She eyes the jump, and takes a run up for it, catching the rooftop by her fingers and then pulling herself up. Wolf gives her an approving nod. There's a group of men - not hers, standing guard at the doorway they need to get to, and Nemo looks at Wolf, tells him to wait and then jumps down, wandering over to chat with the soldiers, and it turns out that Seiji's brother is in this group and Nemo distracts them well enough that it's easy for Wolf to sneak past. When she tells them she's on a mission and must keep moving they all wish her luck. She goes into the building and finds Wolf waiting, leaning against the wall "That made things easier," he says and she hears the thank you in the words.

They end up deep underground and there's a warrior - one armed with fear spells. Nemo plays bait - fear and terror mean nothing to her, who has fought the Nightmare and won. Thanks to her drawing the spells away Wolf is able to slay the warrior, and when he comes back over to check on her, Nemo sees a shadow in his eyes and understands a little more about why Kuro wanted them to travel together. They end up having to swim through an underwater tunnel and then find an old elevator that takes them up to a building where they decide to rest for the night. Wolf is talking to a painting - or perhaps the Child in the painting is talking with him. Nemo shakes off the damp, conjures a light and then pulls out paper and brush from her pack. She's on her third attempt at a letter for Kuro when Wolf comes over and asks what she's doing. "I'm writing to Kuro-venyi. And if I can manage to not mangle every last piece of paper, perhaps to Lord Ashina as well."  
He looks at her sorry attempt and then breaks down laughing, Nemo can't help but smile a little - Kuro's care for this man drew her here in the first place, she was already inclined to like him. "I know, I know it's terrible."  
He keeps trying to regain his composure but then cracking again and Nemo shakes her head "Listen, if it's that bad then you should sit yourself down, share a meal with me and give me a hand so that I don't completely embarrass myself."

He keeps laughing but does sit down, and shows her where she's going wrong. Thanks to his assistance she does get two very short letters drafted, and folds them neatly away. They share a meal and talk a while, Nemo provides more of the conversation, then eventually finds out that Wolf has memory damage, he doesn't remember much of his interactions with Kuro. After he's gone to sleep - Nemo claimed first watch because she doesn't sleep much at all these days, she sends the letters as easily as breathing - grateful that in this land, magic's presence still lingers which enables her to do so with more ease than it would otherwise be.

A day after Nemo leaves, Kuro and Isshin both receive letters. They are messily written, short little things but they are from Nemo. Kuro's tells him about how Wolf is laughing at her struggles and that they are safe. Isshin's says the same but there's also a few lines about how she misses their spars. Though they never see the letters arrival they keep coming every day without fail.

Senpou is a beautiful place - Wolf and Nemo work their way slowly through towards it's heart. Mostly they sneak but on the odd occasion that they're spotted and monks rush in to attack they work together like they've been doing so for years. And they talk sometimes while they wait for a gap to move on in, about fighting styles, about weapons and about certain doctors. The second night they spend at the temple, Wolf has nightmares. He wakes in a sweat and Nemo is there, concerned.  
"You don't have to talk to me about it," she tells him even as she takes off her cloak and wraps it around him "but I'll listen." So he tells her about Hirata about having to kill his teacher, about returning to discover his whole world on fire. About his father's death. About dying. She listens, and she offers an arm around his shoulders, and she doesn't try and tell him pretty comforts that he wouldn't believe, instead she sings lullabies until he falls back asleep.

 

Isshin,

I am hoping this letter is able to be read. Wolf still laughs at my attempts, though laughter was hard to find today. I miss you terribly. Today in our explorations we came across many, many corpses. Children. There were so many both bodies and markers. It hurt both of us. We cannot bury them all so we burned them. May their spirits find rest and peace in the beyond. Some times I think I am used to violence. Some times there are parts of me that revel in war. But this, this was... there's no glory in this. no reason or sense. I won't be telling Lord Kuro about this but I needed to write it. Sorry that this is a sad letter.

Nemo

 

He can feel the sorrow in her words. The word children is blurred, as though she had been crying while writing. For the first time Isshin writes back, leaving his letter in the same place Nemo's arrive - unsure if whatever means is bringing them is capable of taking his to her but he wanted to reply. When he checks again a little later, it's gone and he hopes that it helps. He goes across to talk with young Kuro, as he has been since Nemo left and her letter to the boy mentions none of her distress. Instead she's included pressed leaves from the trees and talks about the beauty of the mountainside.

Nemo,

I am sorry. If I could hold you right now I would.  
Your writing has greatly improved even in such a short time.  
Perhaps on your return... I would be happy to assist you with  
any troubles you are having both writing and otherwise.  
Your caring heart - it is a rare and precious thing.

Stay safe,

Isshin

They burn them, Wolf's arm has a flamethrower and Nemo would want one but she summons fire just as easily. They burn them and Nemo sings songs in her own language then translates them for Wolf. The mournful songs still the creatures in the area - the monkeys and wolves do not trouble them. It takes them two days before they complete their self assigned task. When it gets too dark to locate more of the bodies, Nemo and Wolf find one of the abandoned small shrines and settle there. She makes a fire that burns without wood and cooks for them both - she's noticed that Wolf is one of those people who will just eat anything at anytime. He offers a distraction after she's written letters that say nothing much at all, that she could look at his arm. Nemo is pleased and they spend a few hours talking about the prosthetic and the tools that the Sculptor has fitted to it. She offers to tell him a story as thanks, afterwards and so he hears about how she'd been betrayed by someone she'd cared for and then had to grow up a second time. How she'd stood at a doorway back to her home and turned away in order to save others. How she'd tricked an Empress and took her place - and by the time she's done Wolf's asleep and Nemo smiles, settling back and reaching out with her senses to keep watch 'til daybreak.

When they have done they move on, going further up the mountain, Nemo will write that night of how Wolf dived after the treasure carp while leaving her to take out some monks who were displeased with their presence. They find a hidden pathway up to a dusty unused shrine. Inside is a book of techniques the monks use. Wolf keeps it with him, and they decide to rest for the night. The stars are clear and they sit watching them, talking - and Nemo tells him, it's easier, to be a weapon. To be a thing. About how she sometimes uses the title she holds to hide behind because The Lady Of Vidas is just a useful title, just a tool like a sword or scythe and how that title is not herself, not Nemo. Wolf's eyes go wide and they bond over this - on a mountaintop, speaking late into the night about how to be people, Wolf regrets not taking his lord's hand when he was offered it - but he didn't, still doesn't know how to respond to friendship when he was told for years that it was service alone. Nemo probes in her careful way, giving words to feelings that Wolf didn't know how to explain. She tells him that love warms you like good sake and at the same time scares you like nothing else - that it's not soft or easy for everyone.  
"How do you... how do you, when people care about you but you're not worth it?" he asks her.  
Nemo understands what he means "It's hard and I for one am very bad at it. But in the end we, we can't decide what we're worth to people, they decide that. What we have to do is decide what we are going to do about it."

They talk long into the night, and when Wolf finally sleeps, Nemo thinks very bad, very angry thoughts about the people who raised this boy. He has such a kind and caring heart despite believing himself to be only a tool. She hopes that he'll think on her encouragements to reach out, because over this trip he's snuck into her heart much like Kuro did and she'd be proud to call him brother.

The next day the two of them sneak into the temple - Nemo keeps watch and sees Wolf vanish. She waits - it's all she can do. He returns, a small bell in his hand. "Come with me," he tells her and she takes his hand. Then they're somewhere else - there's the sounds of rushing water, old open buildings around a central tree. He tugs her arm, and shows her a beam of light. When her hand touches it she's somewhere else again - and this, this place feels old and sacred. The heart of the temple. She follows Wolf into the building, and he introduces her to the Divine Child. (Nemo has to swallow down her protective adopting instincts that say this child needs a home). The Child is kind, and shares rice with them - Nemo noticed that Wolf had claimed the mortal blade before he'd returned to her. They talk for a time, on various topics until it grows late. The Child (oh Nemo wants to sit her down and help her find a name so badly.) has some thoughts on a potential way to achieve not severance but a different path that could return the power of the Dragon's Heritage to where it belongs. They agree to keep an open mind about it, and thank her for her assistance. She welcomes them both to visit anytime they want and as they leave, both Wolf and Nemo agree they'll be visiting again often.

The trip back to Ashina castle is mostly uneventful. Nemo runs distraction again for Wolf, and then leaves him to check in and do her own rounds - she lets General Matsumoto know she's back and will be for a while, says hello to her men and thanks them for their gifts which had kept her in good health. She goes to Kuro who has seen Wolf and seems pleased by his success. Apparently, the first place Wolf had gone was to see Emma which makes both Nemo and Kuro very pleased indeed. And when she's done, she goes over to Isshin's rooms and knocks.  
"I came back." she calls, stepping into the room.  
"So I see." he replies and offers her a hug, and she all but collapses into it.  
"Sorry" she murmurs after a moment, trying to pull away. Isshin doesn't let go, and she settles back against him. "Sorry," she repeats.  
"It's been a while since anyone took comfort in my presence. Usually I just terrify them. You don't need to apologise."  
"Emma."  
"An exception, and there's still terror, it's just the other way around."

Nemo chuckles a little at that, "Thank you, for the letter. I hope you managed to read mine, Wolf spent half the time staring over my shoulder and giggling."  
"Sekiro? Giggling? I don't believe it."  
"He did, I swear."  
"How are you?" he asks, seriously.  
She shrugs, "I'm here. We're unhurt and Wolf has the mortal blade he sought. Now two of us carry them."  
"Your second blade? It's a mortal blade?"  
"Yes. Or at least something close to - it demands a blood price, and it's taken the life of immortals."  
"That's why you don't use it in sparring - but you did draw it for Kuro that day I joined you?"  
"Exactly, and for Kuro I'd pay much greater prices that the small amount of blood Re'zunuh requires."  
"That seems like more than allies, Nemo."  
"He's more than an ally to me. He's" - Isshin doesn't understand the next word, and Nemo translates it - "the child of my heart."  
She smiles slightly, "in Vidas we toast to hearth, health and happiness. I want to give Kuro-venyi all of those things."

"You know, your answer about how you are was lacking - I read all your letters Nemo."  
She shrugs again, "I'm not okay. But there's not much to do but push forward."  
"What can I do to help? If there's anything?"  
"I'd say spar with me, but I'm pretty sure the samurai use the dojo at this hour and I'm not going to kick them out because I need to clear my head."  
Isshin smiles, wide and devious "Come with me,"he says and bemusedly, Nemo follows.  
He leads her through the castle, then unlocks a door that looks like just part of the wall, she follows him inside and begins to explore the space. There's a decent sized bathing area to the rear of the room, separated with lovely folding screens. A bed, desk and bookcase packed full are in an alcove to the side and the rest of the space feels like the practice room upstairs. "A sanctuary?" she asks, because it has that feel to it.  
"Indeed. A place to just be. Do you have something like this in Vidas?"  
"Yes. This is a nice space. Thank you. For inviting me into it." she understands just how important having your own space is, and that he brought her here speaks volumes as to his intent.  
He smiles, drawing his sword "Best out of five?"  
She moves back into the center of the room, Kaedne loosely by her side "Sounds good to me."

Isshin moves fast and the sound of swords clashing rings through the room. By the end of the third round Nemo finally relaxes. She feels like she's home... Her distraction at that thought nearly costs her the fourth - at this point they're one win each, with one draw - the first round. But she recovers and just starts showing off, just a little because she's alive and she's home and everything could go to hell tomorrow but for now she's sparring with a man she cares about (she's not thinking about the l word, not during a spar, that's just a guarantee she'd lose) and Nemo is content.


	4. Incense, Letters and the L word

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> pretty much what the title says folks XD  
> (sorry for the wait - next chapter is going to be the big one)

Feeling rather pleased the next morning Nemo heads over to catch up with Kuro - he's in the library as is usual, the young lord is a scholar without compare.  
"You've not read everything in this library yet?" she asks in lieu of greeting.  
"Not yet. Good morning Nemo"  
"Good morning Kuro-venyi. How goes the research?"  
"About as well as your writing has been."   
Nemo laughs, "I see - well I've set aside some time this morning to practice."  
"And I have two new books that may contain leads."  
They settle into their tasks, occasionally Nemo asks questions and sometimes Kuro talks about what he's reading to get her opinion.

"I found something!" He exclaims, causing Nemo to streak a line across the page. She sighs, crumpling up the destroyed attempt and then looks up at where Kuro's sitting on his desk, "What have you found Kuro?"  
"Information about one of the incense ingredients - a lotus? a white flower at least."  
"You'll ask Wolf to investigate?"  
"Yes. He should be by soon."  
As if speaking of the shinobi had summoned him Wolf comes in through the window and bows to his lord, kneeling down to ask after what he's found. Nemo moves away to give them privacy, though Wolf catches her eye and indicates he'd like to speak with her, so she stays by the window waiting for him. He stops by her, balancing on the sill with an easy grace "Would you be able to write to me? Or is it difficult when the person is moving?"  
"It's harder but not impossible. Are you sure you want to subject yourself to the horror that is my handwriting?"  
"Yes." He doesn't elaborate so Nemo smiles and nods.  
"Then I shall do so. Write back, if you can."

The first letter is in Wolf's pack that night.

Wolf,

One wonders what I can say. Today after writing practice, I went out on patrol with my men.   
We saw assassins from Senpou and murdered them all which was pleasing - no injuries either.  
I sparred with Isshin again this afternoon - which does remind me if you should see the  
Tengu of Ashina around the place, ask him for the advanced scroll of combination techniques.  
There's one in specific for the mortal blade that I think you'd benefit from learning.  
Emma was pleased with the flowers you'd left her, she showed them off to me when we shared tea.

Safely return to us

Nemo

 

He writes back to her.

 

Nemo,

Writing practice is important. You're getting better. I am pleased  
that you are uninjured. I have not seen the Tengu in a while but will  
keep in mind to ask him for the scroll. I find myself wishing for  
things I cannot have. I didn't die today so that was good.

Wolf

 

(Nemo shows Emma. They both don't know whether to cry or laugh about his good day being one in which he doesn't die.)

Emma tells Nemo that she's going to be going back and forth for a while, now that Isshin's so much better she'd like to spend time with the Sculptor.  
"I will miss our teas while you are gone," Nemo tells her, quite sincerely.  
"You'd be welcome to come with me."  
"I'd like that."  
Considering the matter settled they head out together, and they talk as they go, this time on prosthetics - an area of interest to them both. The temple on the outskirts of Ashina has seen better days, but Nemo still appreciates the way it stands - there's a defiance to it, a strength that will see it stand for centuries regardless of how the wind blows through the walls, and the odd hole in the roof. She follows Emma inside, a fire burns brightly and a man sits by it, carving one-handed. He finishes the section he is working on and then glares at them. Emma takes it in stride, "Orangutan, I've brought tea and my friend - this is Nemo d'Vidas." Nemo gives a small wave and a shallow bow.  
"Friend? There's so many people coming through here these days. I miss the quiet."  
"Of course you do." Emma replies and Nemo can hear the obvious fondness that her friend holds for the sculptor.   
"Well if you're staying then you should sit instead of giving me neck pains from having to look up at you. And if you brought enough tea to share there's that strange man over by the offering box. He'd probably appreciate a cup."  
Nemo smiles "I'll go find him while you pour, Emma?"   
"Thanks Nemo."  
"The path is off to your right, you can't miss it." The Sculptor - Orangutan grumbles.

It's only a short walk to the offering box, and sure enough a man is seated there - he doesn't seem aware of her presence.  
Nemo scuffs her feet as she walks, causing him to look up "You're not Wolf."  
She tilts her head "No. I'm a friend to him, and Lady Emma. Emma's brought tea, and the sculptor thought you might like to share in it."  
"Huh. Kind of him." the man gets to his feet and bows, "I'm Hanbei."  
"Nemo. Pleased to meet you."  
They go back to the temple and sit down as Emma pours them tea. 

The conversation is mostly carried by Nemo and Emma though Hanbei becomes a bit livilier after the second cup of tea.  
(When he'd balked at taking off his mask Nemo and Emma both pointed out that they were doctors - and that they would look away if he preferred but that he wouldn't disturb them and should just drink his tea already. Hanbei told them they were strange ladies but agreed if only because the two of them have perfected near-identical do-not-mess-with-the-Healer expressions.) The Sculptor, is the one who points out in his gruff way that "Nemo is an odd name."  
"It was a choice I made." she replies, refilling her cup.  
"Does it have a meaning to it?" asks Hanbei, curiously.  
"Yes. Nobody."

That gets a startled reaction from Emma, but the two men seem to understand in a way that only those who have survived brokenness can. She looks at her teacup, pulls a flask from her pocket and doctors her tea with good brandy, draining it before explaining a little of the reason behind the choice - that she'd woken up far from home, alone, when she'd already been mourning the loss of her husband. With little enough of her own to hold onto she'd chosen to keep her original name secret, and now she's been Nemo long enough that it fits her comfortably.  
"Fair enough, Nemo." Hanbei replies, "will you share what's in that flask as well?"  
She laughs and then tops up his and the Sculptors tea with the brandy - Emma shakes her head when she offers.  
The conversation moves on and they pass a pleasant few hours together. When they go to leave, Nemo looks at the Buddha that the sculptor had just finished carving before they'd barged in. His face is not contorted in wrath - but neither is it kind. He looks resilient is the only word that comes to mind.  
"I only carve what I can see. But lately, what I've seen has changed. It's not always flames now."  
She doesn't quite know what to say to that - after all it's likely that her presence is at least partially responsible for that.   
He looks up at her "You and Emma should leave an old man in peace."  
"For now at least. Take care, Sculptor." she offers.

Later that afternoon while she's writing to Wolf, she checks in at the cave she healed Genichiro - and to her surprise there is a letter there her name on the outside. She brings it back to herself, sends off Wolf's and then finds a quiet corner of the castle to read what he wrote.

 

Lady D'Vidas,

I must thank you for the balm. It has indeed greatly helped. If you wished to send more I would be grateful to receive it, and if  
you also wished I believe that among Kawarada's men are a few with a talent in making such things - perhaps working together  
they could help you provide it for the army. You did not have to help me and yet you did, I am still finding myself at a loss as  
to why - I vaguely remember you discussing why however the pain I was in has prevented my recalling it. I wish to see Ashina safe  
and proud, I still believe the best way to do this is through the blood of the Divine Heir. But perhaps I am wrong. I am journeying  
now to seek out my own answers however if you wished to reply to this letter, I will make certain to return often and check for a response. Also. I can promise not to disparage your handwriting, if that is why your last letter was written by the Lady Emma. 

Lord Genichiro Ashina.

 

That's a lot more open to the idea of discussion that Nemo had hoped for - she'd honestly worried about that. And well, while she would still gladly take his head if he dared to raise a hand against Kuro, he's Isshin's grandson - and likely to be the only one. Family is important so she takes the time to write back, hoping that perhaps, just perhaps she'd be able to reach him.

 

Lord Genichiro Ashina,

You are welcome, I am glad the balm was of use. I will seek out the men as you suggested - the ingredients should be easy enough to source. I told you that I have healed men who'd done more monstrous things for lesser reasons - this is the truth. First and foremost I am a Healer. Why is your belief in the power of the dragon's heritage so strong? From what Lady Emma, Lord Kuro and I have discussed it seems like it would do more damage to Ashina rather than less to have the curse/gift shared. Do you know where it draws it's power from? I wish to understand your point of view, and hope that this desire for an honest and open discussion is something you will reciprocate. My given name is Nemo, please feel free to address me by it, I have always disliked formalities.

Nemo D'Vidas

 

Nemo is having tea with Emma when it happens - pain shoots through her - leaving her fallen to the floor gasping, unable to respond to Emma's concern. It's like being set on fire, like standing in a blizzard with broken bones and a long walk ahead... It's almost like dying. She breathes through agony, and feels the moment it passes, when the winds change from skin-stripping to a bare breeze. Her head is on Emma's lap and her friend is distraught. "Emma," she says and has she been screaming? her voice sounds like she has been. "Emma." she repeats  
"Nemo. You scared me. Can you sit up?" Nemo thinks on it,   
"Yes, with help at least." Emma gets her into a seated position leaning against the chair and then stands, grabbing pellets and a few remedies she keeps on hand. Nemo takes them all without complaint, and the pain fades away almost as quickly as it came.  
"What was that," Emma asks, kneeling down beside her.  
"That was Wolf dying. Wherever he was, he was facing an opponent that killed him."  
"Why did it put you on the ground?"  
Nemo thinks on it and then swears, "it's a side effect and has a long-winded magical explanation. Let's just say now that I'm aware of it being a thing I'll be able to take better precautions to prevent its happening again."  
Emma looks skeptical. "Alright, but if it does you're going to give me that long-winded explanation so that we can work something out together."  
"I will, Emma. Sorry for interrupting tea."  
That nets her a whack over the head, and a hand back up into her seat. They drink more tea, and chat - Nemo teases her just a little about Wolf and Emma tells her that they've talked. About getting together. And that he kissed her goodbye before he left. (Nemo does an internal happy dance, pleased for her friend.)

The weather was fine, a pleasant change from the storms that often swept through Ashina, and so Isshin asks if Nemo wants to spar outside  
"Sure," she replies, "why not." They go and find themselves a nice open space and then he pulls out his glaive.   
Nemo's eyes go wide, "Okay, I made my overcompensating remark way too soon. Isshin, the hell?"  
He laughs, "You could always yield."  
"Oh I think not," she replies with good humour. Kaedne slides back into it's sheath and from her robes she pulls a small stick. A murmured word sees it grow into a staff with a golden gem on one end, her hands twist in the middle section and a long blade springs forth from the other end - slightly curved and glinting in the light. And it's a very different style of fighting to be using polearms instead of swords - Nemo uses hers occasionally as a vaulting pole to get the clearance she needs. Her eyes go wide when he draws his sword and then starts using both weapons. "Well fuck this," she declares and then jumps over the attack and just doesn't come back down, hovering in the air for a long moment.  
"Oi! Get back here," he demands "it's not a spar if I can't hit you."  
"As you wish," she says and activates the golden blade on the other end of her staff as she lands and launches into an attack, blessing her friends who had taught her how to use the dual-blade as it's keeping her on equal footing.

Lightning arcs out from his glaive - polearm, she's not 100% sure what it is besides annoyingly long and ridiculously fast. But lightning is an old friend so she simply allows itself to ground through her. He's not lit his sword - which is good as fire and lightning together are harder to deal with and would probably result in singed hair and that smell is awful and LINGERS. They've drawn a small crowd, perhaps unsurprisingly - Nemo counters the polearm, uses her momentum to get forward inside it's range and then bats the sword out of the way and gets a hit in - she pulls it, moving into a roll to get herself back out of immediate retaliation.

Something's got to give eventually and Nemo eventually sees her opportunity, she has pulled back, set her staff to spinning, to make a shield from a blade and she thinks - well consider he drew his sword again first there's no reason I couldn't do the same. She moves fast - blocks both strikes with her staff, lets it go as she slides underneath it and comes up onto her feet with the handle of Kaedne pressed against Isshin's chest. The staff clatters to the ground behind her and her smile is vicious and victorious. "Well done," he says and steps back, bowing shallowly to her.  
"It was a good match." she replies, matching his bow - aware of the audience they gathered.  
She picks up her staff, twisting away the blades though she doesn't shrink it down and accepts when he offers tea. They're seated back in his rooms, once they were in relative private she'd re-shrunk the staff back to it's usual size. He pulls out a small key and offers it to her. She takes it, curiously examining it. "For the sanctuary."  
Her eyes grow huge and her hand picks up a fine tremor "Isshin..."   
He reaches over and curls her fingers around the key. "You are welcome there."  
Nemo swallows hard against tears, finds that words that just won't come and leans over to kiss him.

She's talking with Kuro and Emma because Genichiro replied to her letter and she'd like to make sure that the information she's giving him about the dragonrot, the problems with his plan is as accurate as can be when Wolf comes back. He looks tired, which Emma notices right away and she passes him pellets without commenting - ignoring the look that Kuro and Nemo share with all the dignity she can muster. "Thank you, Emma." he murmurs before kneeling down by Kuro "I have found the flower, my lord."  
"Oh well done Wolf!" Kuro's honest pleasure makes the shinobi smile, "You should take some time to rest - I've not had much luck in leads for the other ingredients."  
"Very well, my lord."  
He leaves - and Emma follows shortly after. Nemo and Kuro giggle about it before turning back to their tasks.

 

Lord Genichiro,

Thank you for the honour of your reply. This is what the Lady Emma, Lord Kuro and I have been able to determine about the dragon's heritage. Firstly it draws its power from the blood of living things. This causes stagnation in the blood - the disease known as Dragonrot. While Lady Emma has managed due to her great skill to find a cure the disease does reappear regardless. If you were to share the curse with the entire army, where would the power come from? It would come from their wives and children, from those they fight alongside and those who they protect. I theorise that should the curse require more power it would draw on the life of Ashina itself - that the crops will wither and the trees die. What then will be left of the country you are trying so hard to protect? I do not yet know if there is another way, but we have successfully fought off several attempted incursions of Ministry men without that power. With you, your grandfather, the powerful Generals and fierce fighters you may be able to hold this land. I would not see Ashina fall and I have not yet begun to use all that I have - there are reasons for that, but if it is needed I would unleash all the power I hold to see Lord Kuro safe and Ashina thrive.

Nemo.

 

That evening over Isshin and Nemo's usual nightcap, he asks her "I was surprised by the lack of scars you have... You've always been a good healer?"  
"Hardly," she replies - the sake has been especially good so she's willing to talk about it,   
"I have many scars but aside from the few I choose to leave visible the rest are hidden beneath illusions."   
The visible ones are obvious - her wrists to elbows have fractal lightning scars in an almost delicate lace-like pattern and there's the one on her face - one of her oldest scars that she'd gotten in her first Thedas, and had held onto even through the deaging process she'd lived through. It skims the edge of her left eye almost pure white against her skin.

The conversation meanders on, and when it is late they prepare for bed. Nemo disrobes, bending down to pick up her discarded clothing she hears - it's a sharp sound that resonates on multiple levels - including ones outside the range of normal hearing - and something shudders and snaps. She's about to turn and ask Isshin what that was when she hears his hiss of in-drawn breath. Looking down she notices the burn scar that mars her left thigh - and that's one of the ones she hides. When she looks over at Isshin there's a mask of horror on his face - like someone who had seen... 

Her back scars are not pretty. they had healed poorly the first time and then she'd had the choice between regaining much of her ability to move and fight or having lesser marks and she'd chosen accordingly. They were the reason she'd taken to hiding most of her scars in the first place as they drew a lot of unwanted attention (and also made her easy to find in a crowd).

Blood draining from her face, she take a breath, in-out and then carefully unfolds and shrugs her robe on, hiding her back from view. She ties it shut and then without saying anything, leaves the room. She's two hallways away before he reacts - spying a hole in the ceiling she force-leaps up, running lightly across the beams. The drop down point puts her close to that little sanctuary room, and so its there she goes. sitting on the chest behind a screen, just in case. She allows her heart to slow, lets herself have a moment or two to break and then tries not to let the self-loathing creep in. She knows should have brazened it out probably, she would have shown him eventually, especially if he'd asked- it's just. hard. because even the few who have seen the scars and not pitied her have not been able to help themselves but ask for the story. And it's not a kind one or one that she enjoys recounting.

She loses track of time, sitting there in the dark. Suddenly she hears a whistle - coming from the roof. It's the one for "location?" that she taught her men but none of them are inside the castle - realising it must be Wolf she whistles back "all's well". It's not surprising that he still comes to find her, or that he knows about the moving walls in the castle - they seem like they were made for spies to find and use. He also doesn't need light, though Nemo does make a small flickering flame to hover above her. He moves the screen and sits down on the floor next to her. He doesn't say anything - just reaches out and takes her hand in a casual gesture of support. 

"Does Emma know you're crawling in rooftops?" she asks quietly after a while.  
"Yes. She asked me to, though it was clear that the request came from another."  
"I see..."  
"You don't have to talk if you don't want to but I'm listening," he says, the same words she'd spoken to him when they'd hidden in one of the shrines overnight and the memories of Hirata had woken him again. She's so tired. So she tells him, what happened and why she reacted like she did.  
"I don't think he'd pity you."  
"Neither do I. It wasn't exactly a rational decision, Wolf."  
"You don't have to answer - but how bad are they?"  
She hadn't restored the illusion so she turns shrugging the robe down to her elbows to reveal several of the scars.  
He hisses out a breath. "Thank you. For showing me."  
Nemo shrugs, resettling the robe up on her shoulders "I've lived a long life. It left scars. But people pity me, or want to know all about them."  
"The memories are unkind?"  
"Yes. Very."

They sit in silence for a while after that, and its still so strange to Nemo, how Kuro and Emma and Wolf had become like family. How... she can do this, how Isshin had so quickly become more than that to her. And it aches because she's become bad at letting people in, letting them close but somehow they'd managed it. Wolf in many ways reminds her of her first soul-brother, long gone now. And like him, he understands that sometimes you can just sit there and be together in silence and it helps.

False dawn begins to light the sky before they leave the room. "Did Kuro-venyi have any luck with his research after I'd left?" she asks as they make their way through the corridors.  
"Yes. My lord found a lead on the possible location of the stone so I shall be heading out today to see what I can find."  
"Go safely then," she tells him "and safely return. I'll write."  
He bows to her and then leaps through the window and is gone in an orange flash.

"Lord Ashina"  
"Sekiro. You are heading out again?"  
"Yes. I just thought to bring you a drink."  
"Ah, you're a kind boy."  
He pours for them both and then - he's never been good with words but Nemo is - important.  
"Why didn't you ask? She would have shown you, she speaks fondly of you." It just bursts out and he considers himself fortunate that Isshin doesn't take offense to his lack of tact.  
"Because I was a fool. You've seen her..."  
"Yes."  
"How is she?"  
He shrugs - Nemo is like him, they don't often speak on their hurts because they know that they are the ones who deal with it best. "Well enough."

That afternoon when Isshin doesn't arrive for their usual spar, Nemo decides to suck it up and go find him. And it's easy enough - she's developed awareness of where all her precious people in this world are - Kuro's in the library, Emma's down in the barracks infirmary, Wolf is... she gets the sense that he's deep underground somewhere. Her men are out on patrol and Isshin, Isshin is over in one of the outer castle buildings near the gate.

She gathers her courage, puts on her swords and heads out. Stabbing the Senpou temple assassin that was sneaking around makes her feel better. Nemo briefly checks in with her men - and is pleased that they are doing so well. They tell her that everything's been quiet so they're doubling down on patrol and Nemo agrees with them, silence is deafening. She makes sure all her reinforcements are holding up well on their armour before saluting them and moving on.

The building is empty - then she spies the beams. She calls quietly for a wind to help her up. Once she's gotten to the first one, it's a series of force-enhanced leaps and then she's at the top. "Isshin?" she calls,"You here?" She spies movement over by the small window at the end of the roof, behind a pile of seating mats. She goes over and drops down next to him. "I'm sorry." she says after a moment or two, "I reacted badly."  
He turns to look at her, "you're apologising? Nemo..."  
She shrugs and looks away, "It's only natural that you're curious, I mean, I should have expected it and really why I did not think to ensure my illusions held up against snap seeds I have no idea." She's nervous and rambling. Isshin reaches out and pulls her against his side, and Nemo leans on him, "sorry." she whispers again, "I'm really, really out of practice."  
"Nemo." His voice holds both amusement and sorrow "It's I who should be apologising." He feels her shrug and sighs, placing a kiss against her hair "I am sorry."  
"It's alright."  
"If it was alright, why did you run?"  
"It's a default. In this at least I'm the opposite of you - I need space and time to sort myself out."

He decides to change the subject, and asks "How did you find me, out of curiosity?"  
She shifts away so she can look at him, though her hand makes it clear that she would like his arm to stay around her. "It's a thing - if I care about someone, make a true connection with them, I can find them..."  
"You care?"  
"So much it aches. So much I want to run screaming because I'm scared. If you'd let me, I'd love you easily for the rest of my days."  
He feels her tense up as she finishes and well what's there to say after a confession like that. He shifts his weight, pulling her onto his lap and whispers "I love you." A single tear slips free as Nemo blinks them back and Isshin kisses it away. "Say you forgive me for being an ass," he asks.  
Her laughter is thin but it's beautiful to hear, "I forgive you. You ass."  
"Tell me you won't run anymore."  
"I can't. I don't make promises I won't keep. I'll do my best though."  
He holds her tightly, "That'll do. And Nemo, next time you run - I'll be following." The promise is weighted and heavy and Nemo wraps it around the scars on her heart like a blanket. "Love you," she murmurs and then a smile curves her lips, "you also owe me a spar."  
He laughs, "yes I guess I do."  
"Also how on earth did you even get up here?"  
"There's a ladder hidden in the wall. You came up the beams?"  
"Yes. I didn't realise there was another way up."

He shows her the ladder and she shakes her head, "Can't believe I missed that." She walks over to the gap "this would be the faster way down though."  
Isshin looks at her, at the smile on her lips and she holds out her hand "trust me?"  
"Yes." He takes her hand, is pulled close and then they are falling - before they hit the ground wind rushes up to meet them, slowing their descent until they land safely. "I swear you just took twenty years off my life," he tells her and then feels her healing magic wash over him like a calm wave.  
"I'd say sorry. But I'm not."  
He sighs and she laughs dancing out of his reach when he grabs for her. "catch me if you can," she taunts and then moves - running for the castle. Isshin takes a moment to wonder what he's doing with his life before going after her. "you're living it," he hears her voice though he can't see her "if you can't take the time to be a little silly, to live a little, laugh a little are you really living?"   
He catches up to her inside the castle - the advantage of knowing all the shortcuts. "We are at war." he tells her in answer to her question.  
"Doesn't that make finding moments of happiness to hold on to even more precious? I've fought many wars, Isshin. I'd rather remember the joys."  
"And me chasing you around the castle brings you joy?"  
"You bring me joy. That you love me - that is a happiness so deep that there's no words for it." She smiles bright and brilliant, "you still owe me a spar, come on."  
He pushes open the door to his hidden rooms and bows her inside. "Best of three?"  
"Swords only this time?"  
He draws his and smiles "Agreed."

Emma's distracted the next morning when they're having tea. "Talk to me, Emma." Nemo says, "Please."  
She's staring unseeing at her empty teacup, and Nemo sighs flicking her fingers - suddenly the cup is full, and the rich scent of chocolate fills the air.   
"What is this? It smells nice."  
"Hot chocolate. Give it a try."  
She does, and it seems to help - "This is lovely."  
Nemo smiles, and then comes over to kneel by her chair "Will you talk to me?"  
"Off the floor - I know you're immortal and whatnot but that's not good for your knees."  
Nemo laughs and gets up, refilling Emma's cup with more of the sweet chocolate.  
"It's just, when Wolf came to see me before he left, there were shadows in his gaze. I'm concerned about him and the cost seeking severance is having."  
Nemo listens to Emma speak on Shura and her concerns - there's something in Nemo that refuses to dismiss them, something pushing at her perception that this is potential and should not be discounted. "Alright, if it comes to that what is our recourse?"  
"I've never wanted to take the life of another human. But a demon? That I could do. Still, my heart aches that it may be him because I might... love him."  
Nemo tilts her head consideringly, "What if - what if we could stop him? I carry with me a variety of poisons, and in this case  
perhaps a strong paralytic, that would prevent death and thus also resurrection? It would then give me a chance to try and reach him."  
"Would you be able to?"  
"He's like a brother to me - the bond between us is strong even though we've never formally acknowledged it. I would be able to reach him and - I've dreamed of futures like this, Ashina burning, running red with blood, thus I think perhaps I could get him to see that there is another way and if not, Emma, I will be the one to end his suffering. I swear it - you will not have to kill him."  
"Then I would take that paralytic."  
Nemo passes over the vial, "Apply it to your blade just before you fight him. It will last for several hours."  
She takes it and Nemo tells her "I will pray it doesn't come to this."  
"So will I, Nemo."


	5. The Fire of Rage, The Ocean of Grief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> life's gotten shitty.  
> this didn't quite break 10k this chapter but here it is nonetheless.
> 
> thanks for the love and support, always.

The holding pattern they've been trapped in has to break and when it does, it does so in a terrible way. She's on her way to tea with Kuro when she feels the bonds she shared with her men stretch and snap. The deaths comes one after another stealing away her breath, and lancing pain through her. She hears her name called desperately, and turns to see Seiji and Yukiya both limping towards her, half carrying Kanae between them. Nemo shakes off the pain - shoving it down in a way she'll be paying for later - and runs to them, "report please," she commands, even as she begins to heal Kanae, she tosses pellets to Yukiya who's the least injured. He nods and explains that a great force of ministry men and other shinobi had come through the side path - they'd done their best but it was an army against a squad, no matter how good. Nemo swears even as the sounds of battle start ringing out.   
"Come with me," she orders and they follow her - moving swiftly through the castle. They wait at the bottom of a set of stairs when she signals even as Nemo takes them two at a time.  
"Emma, will you go to Kuro?" she asks, breathing hard. When her friend seems reluctant to leave Isshin's side, Nemo tilts her head "I will protect your lord with my life. He is my heart."  
"He's also quite capable of defending himself." Isshin adds - before quieting at the glares he receives from both women.  
"You will stand for him?  
"While I live the only way Lord Isshina Ashina will die is of natural causes far from now." The promise is made easily as breathing, its depth shakes both Emma and Isshin.  
"I will go then."  
"You have it?"  
"Yes. You think?"  
"I still pray not."

As Emma leaves at a run, Isshin tells Nemo, "the last half of your conversation made no sense."  
"It made perfect sense to us." She kneels, "Lord of Ashina your people are dying. The ministry is here in force. They do not need the Tengu. They need the Sword Saint."  
"I..."  
"Take up arms and restore the courage to your men. They will rally to your banner as they did before and will do again."  
He nods and stands, drawing her to her feet "Fight by my side then, Lady d'Vidas."  
"To the gate. We'll drive them out of the castle and down to the gate catching them between us and Gyobu."  
He laughs, and it's a rich, full sound with a cruel edge. "I like the way you think!" 

"Do we have a little time?" he asks, and at her quiet affirmation continues, "Will you assist me with my armour?"  
She inclines her head and helps him, he's quietly impressed that she knows how it all goes together. She notices his concern at her apparent lack and reassures him that the dress she wears is actually her preferred armour - it took ten smiths working together three months to make, combining magic and skill to create mail so fine it acts like fabric, and it was worth the exorbitent price she'd paid for it - and then given them generous tips besides. She calls her swords to her side, buckles them on and the two head down the stairs, the three men of her squad take in Isshin's appearance with wide eyes but fall in with them, guarding their backs. As they move into the castle the samurai of Ashina join with them as they go, and it's fierce and bloody and Nemo takes the grief in her heart for her lost men and uses it to be ruthlessly efficient and brutal - she fights alongside Isshin like they've been doing so for years and he is no less efficiently brutal as she. Blood runs red and none of it belongs to those of Ashina.

"Cover me," she calls to her men and jumps off the railing - trusting Seiji to have her back, he was the best shot after her and his gun strikes true, enabling Nemo to take down the ogre that was rampaging in the hall with ease, landing on his head her sword pierces it's eye and up into the brain. She jumps clear of it's death throes and is joined on the floor by the others who had spread out and moved down the stairs in a wave of deadly motion. The red hat shinobi open the door of the castle to try and escape. But death is coming for them, and it moves fast, "To the gate" she cries as they fight.  
"For Ashina" Isshin calls and as Nemo had predicted his men rally at his cry, the fighting is fierce in the open. There are Senpou assassins as well as the ministry rats and they hold the rooftops, but they press on. When they get to the gate Nemo sees a flash of orange and silver, "Isshin, Wolf's here and going back up the roofs. I will join him"   
He salutes with his blade, flicking the blood off it in an elegant motion "Do not hesitate"  
"Victory in battle," she replies to him, before adding "I trust you to stay with him, and stay alive" in command to her men. Her given promise stretches between them golden bright to those with eyes to see and it makes an invisible shield that will heal him of any wounds. They will pass to her to deal with until such time as the fighting ends.

She is off, jumping up the rooftops using something between her magic and the Force to make the jumps with ease. It's not more than a few moments before she'd caught up with Wolf. He grabs a ministry shinobi's leg slamming it down in a vicious Mikiri counter and Nemo takes the man's head wtih a quick sweep of Kaedne. "Lady Nemo," he greets her "how goes the fight?"  
"There are only these on the rooftops left - Isshin has rallied his men and will drive out the rest."  
"I have slain the assassins from Senpou - there are none of those rats living on the east side of the castle."  
"I'm pleased to hear it," her smile is bloodthirsty, "it is an honour to fight at your side."  
"And at yours," they move forward together, and work together to clear the rooftops of the invaders. The dogs being summoned are an annoyance, especially as there always seems to be one more of them. When they return to the inside of the castle a senior Ministry man waits in the dojo, Nemo takes out the hidden ambush as Wolf engages the shinobi - whose poisoned blade is frustratingly quick. He succeeds eventually and takes a deep drink from the gourd Emma had gifted him "To the rooftop?"  
She nods "I'll follow you." They go out the window and head up.

Waiting on the roof - Nemo watches the colour drain from Wolf's face - as he takes in the figure of his father. She lets him jump up after Kuro's gone inside and moves stealthily around to be behind Owl when she takes to the roof - she can see Emma inside the door, listening in. She hopes that her friend had made sure Kuro's gone downstairs - because there are not a lot of ways that this can go well. She listens to Owl and hears echoes of a parent all but forgotten. So while it's disappointing that Wolf chooses to abandon Kuro and Nemo's heart aches for the boy she understands her nearly-brother's decision. Though she will not let it stand. He's worth more than the tool his father sees him as, hopefully she, Emma and Kuro will get the chance to prove it to him. She takes a deep steadying breath; they will fix this. Emma steps out, interrupting the two men, her blade is steady and glows faintly indigo, indicating to Nemo that she has put the paralytic on. Honorless man, Owl throws shuriken at Emma, who deflects them with casual grace and Nemo jumps up to land behind them. She hears him whisper to Wolf "Tear her apart" and shakes her head. Her men lie dead and dying because of this man's ambition. He will die before the sun sets.

"Leaving so soon, Owl?" she asks - he turns and raises one white eyebrow.  
"Do you think to stop me, little girl?"  
She ignores the diminutive, though little could be accurate - Owl is of a height with Isshin. She wonders briefly about the sheer length of his braid - knowing full well how hard it is to deal with long hair in a fight, even when it's braided back - she thinks it's probably a sign of his aptitude and status, that he can do so without risk. Drawing her sword, she sets herself in his way and Emma calls out "Lady Nemo, what is our status?"  
"The lord of Ashina drives the ministry before him, his men at his side. Soon no rats will be left in the castle."  
"I'm pleased to hear it," she says, while keeping an eye on Wolf, both men are a little nonplussed at being so ignored.  
"I thought Isshin was on his death bed," Owl comments, he's not yet reached for his sword so Nemo suspects he's holding more shuriken.  
"Well he's certainly been spending a lot of time in bed," Nemo replies - and grins as Emma's face goes bright red, picking up the implications that Wolf's too far gone and Owl's too confused to get.  
"NEMO!" her screech is music to Nemo's ears. 

She laughs, her attention seems completely focused on Emma and Owl moves - but Nemo's faster and her sword *sings* as lightning crackles out from it, wreathing the arena - "you'll leave here over my dead body," she tells him. She then dashes forward, blurring past Owl she swings Kaedne once, releasing the gourd of medicinal waters from Wolf's wrist. A quick throw and it's safely through the doorway behind Emma. She turns back and blocks Owl's sword, the weight of it barely straining her. She then counters, driving him back towards the edge of the platform to ensure Emma has enough room to fight Wolf. It's hard to stick to defense when everything in Nemo wants to wipe the smug smile off Owl's face - he clearly thinks that her defensiveness is because he's got her on the ropes. A cry goes up from Emma - Nemo takes a brief moment to glance over even as she blocks another teeth-rattling hit and sees the purple-edged blade slip free and her friend catch the limp body of Wolf, kicking his sword away. 

Now that Emma's fight is over, Nemo begins to use the depths of her power and strength. Owl's eyes go wide as they clash again, sparks flying and this time it is he who jumps away, throwing shurikens as he goes which Nemo deflects easily, keeping an eye out in case he goes after Emma. There's a roaring in Nemo's ears, the demand for his blood pounds in time with her heartbeat, and fire burns in her eyes, golden bright with rage. She doesn't see the worry in Emma's eyes as she watches fearing that having spared Wolf from Shura she may now lose her friend to it. She hears feet on the inside stairs, sees Isshin look out the door and knows he fears the same; she is fighting with a power and grace that seems almost inhuman. "Please, no. Not her." he whispers it, and Nemo forces Owl back again - for a brief moment she looks over "trust me." - he reads the words on her lips even as smoke blooms around her, hiding her from view and she blocks Owl's vicious overhead, her arms no longer tremble, and she swings again, taking the offensive as embers dance on her tongue. He uses firecrackers - a distraction but Nemo moves through them  
their sparks light in her hair but do not burn, fire came to her third but she's worn it like a second skin ever since. Part of her wants to burn, to let go but she will not. Because beneath the bright-heat of her rage, and the ice-cold of her grief she can feel them; Isshin's love and concern, Emma's worry and care - Kuro's too and they tether her.

Eventually Nemo sees an opportunity. She goes for a high strike, leaving her left side open -and when Owl swings his blade in, she grabs in her left hand, blood beginning to run free. His eyes go wide, and Nemo pulls with her full strength that of a dragon grounded in the earth uncaring of the pain and the blood, causing him to lose his grip. Fast as the lightning still sparking around the arena she moves, reversing the sword in her left hand and kicking out. He falls heavily to one knee, blades resting against his neck. But the woman, she doesn't go for the kill immediately. The swords lift away from his neck but before Owl can react he's pushed back against one of the pillars and wrapped fast in lightning. the shock he receives on testing the bonds makes him think waiting is the best plan.

Having dealt with Owl, Nemo places his blade down out of reach and turns away from the older shinobi. She draws her mortal blade which is wrapped in pale green-blue flame. She goes to where Emma still holds an unconscious Wolf. "I will bring him home, or I will be the one to end it. His choice to make."  
"Yes. Do what needs to be done, Nemo."  
Nemo raises Re'zunuh high and slides it home - the exact same path Emma's blade took, through the chest. The fire spreads out wrapping around her hand and his body. Bound by the connection of the blade Nemo closes her eyes and reaches out to Wolf.  
"What is going on?" he asks her "Where am I?"  
"This is the place between life and death," she responds "and you are here to see a future and make a choice."  
"Alright..." he says and she pulls him into another world - a world where she had not been there to interfere.

She stands quietly as Wolf watches events play out with growing dread, seeing himself cut down Emma, then Isshin. He sees the red glow in his counterparts eyes that his father misses and cries out as the Owl falls, eyes wide. And he sees Kuro, hears his master's heartbroken cry - watches himself pick up his fathers sword, but then the world fades away. He's standing in that same strange grey place as before and the Lady Nemo is watching him, there's no pity in her gaze but a steady calm compassion.   
"It would be a massacre. Thousands die. Ashina would be said to be haunted evermore."  
"I'm sorry."  
"I'm not the one who needs to hear those words. Right now, you have a choice to make, Wolf."  
He straightens, "What is the choice?"  
"Choose to renew your vows to your master. Choose to forsake the darkness of Shura and take my hand. My sword will burn away the shadow and the paralytic in your blood you will be restored with a second chance and amends to make."  
"And the other option?"  
"Choose death. You will not be lost to Shura, neither will you live. My mortal blade will prevent your ever resurrecting. I will take on the burden of assisting Kuro in your stead."

She holds out her hands in entreaty and tells him, "Choose, brother."  
"I choose to live." he replied   
"Brave man. This will hurt," she warns him and they return to the real world, and Wolf screams as the fire of Re'zunuh races through his veins and it had never been such a relief when he felt the resurrection take him. He awakes in Emma's arms, though once she realises, she lets him go to stand on his own. Nemo had walked away from them briefly, her swords put away, and in her hands she now held both shinobi's blades.   
"Wolf," she addressed him "If you wish it, you may fight your father. If not, he has debts to settle with me."  
"Lady?"  
"The men I led now number three where once there were twenty-four. Still, the first of my precious people he hurt was you, my brother, so your debt takes precedence."  
He bows slightly "My sister," and Owl is paying close attention to their interaction "When I was learning the ways of the shinobi, my father told me "one day we will fight in glorious battle to the death." I accept your offer."   
Nemo acknowledges his words by passing Kusabimaru to him. She clicked her fingers and the lightning surrounding Owl disappeared. She threw him his sword, arcing it neatly so that the master shinobi could catch it by the handle - as he caught it, Emma offered Wolf the gourd back before vanishing inside. 

Nemo sits on the railing, leaning into the lightning and watches the two men fight. Wonders if Owl knows how lucky he is that his son despite all odds, despite nearly falling to Shura, is a good, compassionate man. Because the death she would have given him would not have been this kind of honourable battle. She whispers their names to the sky, those lost to one greedy fool's ambition the thread of her words lost to the crackle of electricity and the ringing of the swords. Only once does Owl attempt to attack her, shuriken thunk into the wood by her feet and she doesn't pay them any attention, but her stilled rage, her deep grief, burns - they turn to ashes that blow away in the breeze. He doesn't try again and she lets the fires subside, doused to smouldering by the ocean-depths of her sorrow.

She does not hear the words that pass between father and son as the former dies. When the life has faded from his eyes she stands from her place, the lightning around the arena vanishes and offers quietly to help Wolf prepare his father's body. Emma joins them briefly, Nemo notices her palm something when she kneels besides her but doesn't call her on it. Wolf cuts a strip of his father's cloak and wraps it around Nemo's still bleeding hand, Emma hadn't noticed the injury due to Nemo keeping it hidden. He doesn't say anything but she appreciates the gesture for what it is. "You'll have to grovel, you know" she tells him, "no-one wants to cut down the one they love." He nods and takes a withered branch from Owl's pocket, the final ingredient for the divine incense. She rests her hand on his shoulder "Tomorrow is a rest day - the ministry are licking their wounds. The fighting men here are going to rest and restore their morale. Speak with Kuro and Emma but not on the incense. Take time to recover because we have time. A storm will blow in tonight that will prevent the ministry from mounting an attack for a few days."  
He nods his understanding, "Will you..." Nemo senses his meaning and summons white hot flame to consume Owl's body. His sword burns with him, leaving behind a few molten pieces of adamantine - which Wolf scoops up. "Lady D'Vidas." Wolf says formally "I will not waste this second chance you've given me."  
"See that you don't, my brother." she replies and they part.

Wolf goes inside and sees Emma waiting for him. And instead of greeting him with a smile and a kind word as she had on his defeat of Genichiro, she stays still and silent. He doesn't know where to begin - sorry seems completely inadequate. The silence stretches endlessly painful.   
"You should go see Lord Kuro," she says quietly, "Master Wolf."   
As she walks away she hears him whisper "I'm so sorry, Emma." She doesn't acknowledge that she's heard and heads off to see to the injured. 

Wolf goes downstairs, sees Kuro standing by the incense burner and he does not turn his head, though Wolf is choosing to make sure his steps are heard. He kneels by his lord, and does not trust himself to look up. He'd followed the code as he'd been taught and thus perhaps ruined the chance he'd had for more.  
"Am I really that easy to walk away from, Wolf?" there's such pain, such hurt in his master's voice. "I know you do not remember much of what we shared but..."  
He risks a glance up and Kuro's crying and something twists in Wolf's chest at the sight,   
"I thought that you had come for me because you cared. because you wanted to. not just because of your Code"   
Wolf is silent, words sticking in his throat.  
"Should I release you from our oath, Shinobi Wolf?"  
"No." he chokes it out, "Please. My lord, I know have no right to ask it of you, but please, show mercy." It's a plea borne of a desperate soul - fighting his father, the horror of the future his sister had shown him - both had revealed to him a truth in his heart; that he loves Kuro, that he loves Emma and now it may well be too late. And he hates the way the words seem to slip away from him, but he tries anyway, tries because this is Kuro, who's only ever been kind to him, his lord whom he loves.  
"If, if nothing else, my lord, please allow me to finish helping you sever the dragon's heritage. if after that is complete you wish my absence I will go."  
"And what is it you wish," Kuro's voice is steadier now and Wolf - Sekiro, dares to hope  
"I wish to see you free of your burdens. I wish to protect you... I wish to serve at your side."  
"Why? Why when you were so willing to abandon me?"  
"You... you offered your hand to me time and again in friendship I didn't deserve. I had thought my father dead and seeing him again, it was... he'd raised me for years. I wanted his pride, his acceptance and in striving for that I caused you unspeakable harm. There aren't enough words for how sorry I am. And if all I can have from this is to be the blade that guards you then I will take that and be glad." He reaches out a hand without looking up, afraid of what he'd see "I'd rather have more. Be more. Be family."  
When Kuro reaches out and takes his offered hand, Sekiro lifts his head and looks his lord in the eye "I'm sorry," the words run deep with feeling.  
"And I forgive you." Kuro tries a smile, "My Wolf." 

He pulls his lord(boy? son?) into a hug, and cries.

Nemo goes among the generals and their men bringing gifts "from a merchant friend" of fresh foods, sweet honey and delicate teas. Her hand has not stopped bleeding; her healing is ineffective, she suspects a poison on Owl's blade. But it is an easy thing to ignore and a pain that comforts her. They are one and all pleased to see her and raise their flasks in toast "To Lord Ashina who led us to victory and to Lady D'Vidas who fought at his side."  
She lifts the cup they pressed into her hands in response "To the fighting men of Ashina who are renowned throughout the land. To Ashina, unbeaten, unbroken, unbowed!"  
"To Ashina," the men echo and drink deeply. 

Once she's finished handing out the gifts and done the healing she could, Nemo takes all the many gifted flasks of Ashina sake and goes up to the roof of Isshin's tower. Her grief is still a bitter thing and her rage while quelled now could easily flare again. She knows with all the certainty she has that the storm that blows into Ashina tonight will be full of hail and lightning - that it will last easily a day or two. She drinks her way through two of the bottles of sake, wishing she could find tears and her hand is still bleeding though it's been quite some time since the injury. It'll be a pain to sew up manually, but she tells herself she'll do it the moment she finishes this bottle. Suddenly, she hears her name being called - she moves to the edge of the roof and looks down to see a concerned Isshin. "Hey love," she slurs a little - and she'd meant to be purging the alcohol but its nice to feel the edges of the grief dull even if she knows this is not healthy or a long term solution, for now she's indulging. "Nemo, why are you up there?"  
"Why not?" she counters, and leans back onto the roof "it's a nice view up here."  
"While I'm sure that's true, won't you come down? I'd like to make sure you're okay."  
"I'm fine, Isshin love," she hops down off the roof with a unsteady grace, "see."

"Mmm," he hums noncommittally, "why don't I take that for you," he says reaching for the sake she's still holding. She lets him take it - she's still got plenty more. He gets her inside through dint of careful maneuvering. Once she's seated he sits down next to her and frowns, taking in her still-bleeding left hand. "Nemo? Why is your hand bleeding?"  
"Because whats-his-face bird boy used an anti-healing thing on his blade."  
"And you've not gotten someone to look at it?"  
She shrugs, "it's not a bad wound Isshin. The poison will wear off eventually."  
"You can't do this to yourself Nemo. "Honestly I expected better of you," he doesn't see the expression passing over her face at his words, "you cannot treat yourself this way, you're far too precious."  
"Precious." she repeats and there's something odd in her tone - not the slur of alcohol but some emotion he can't identify.   
"Sit down. I'm going to get Emma to come look at your hand," he nearly snaps the order out - barely gentling his tone he adds, "Stay here."  
She blinks at him slowly, and he leaves the room, locking the door behind him. He hopes Emma will be easy to find.

Nemo is. Not. Pleased. Especially when she realises that he's locked her in like some sort of unruly child. Spying some paper and writing tools, she pens a poem, and seals it - she does not intend to be here when he returns. She doesn't have what she'd need to sew up the wound before Emma's arrival, but she looks across at the lantern flame and a horrible, brilliant idea occurs to her. She takes off the lantern lid, and doesn't hear the door open behind her. Holding out her hand over the revealed candle she breathes out sharply, and causes the flame to leap high and cauterise her hand. It also burns badly, but Nemo puts that down to trying to do delicate work in her current mood.

While she missed the door opening, she does hear the sharp intake of breath and Emma's calm, concerned voice "Lady Nemo, that is not how you are supposed to cauterise a wound."  
Nemo turns, grimacing as the aching heat of the burn sets in "I know, Lady Emma."  
"Hmph. Will you allow me to treat the burn?" and because she asks instead of orders Nemo agrees and lets Emma slather dousing powder over her hand, breathing a sigh of relief when it numbs the worst of the pain. Emma looks at it with a critical eye, pleased that the powder is taking - Nemo theorises out loud that because that damage had been caused by herself it had overridden the anti-healing that had caused the wound to continue to bleed. Emma looks at her friend, and finds herself asking "Do you want to get out of here Nemo? Maybe talk about what's bothering you."  
Nemo laughs "You're a good friend Emma. Yes let's go and we can commiserate about the stupidity of the men we care for."  
"Do you have sake?"  
"So much sake - I went out to visit the troops and drop off some morale-raisers and every single group wanted to toast to me and gave me sake."  
"Morale-raisers?"  
"Honey, fresh produce, tea and I'll go back out tomorrow morning with my patented hangover cure."  
"They'll sing your praises if you've made a hangover cure that works well. Mine work alright but I am told the taste puts people off. Also fresh fruit? Any chance some of that can make its way to me?"  
"Of course, Emma, just let me know what you'd like."

The two of them go out to the silvergrass field - it's always quiet there and Nemo remarks on how it's the most obvious secret passage ever. Emma laughs and agrees. She spreads out a blanket and the two women sit and drink sake. After nearly a bottle and a half Emma nudges Nemo "So apparently you and my lord have been getting on well?"  
"I will give you all the details if you keep fishing and I don't think you want them..." Nemo replies, smiling.  
Emma laughs and then asks "What happened - he came to get me all in a panic."  
The smile falls from Nemo's face "He wouldn't listen. Told me I "couldn't do this to myself." as if he had more of a say. I was going to deal with it eventually. The locking me in a room didn't help either. It's like he doesn't trust me and that hurts."  
"At least he didn't try to kill you," Emma said, sorrow in her words.  
"True, for what its worth I had hoped that he wouldn't have been that stupid." Nemo wraps an arm around Emma pulling her friend into a hug.  
"So did I. Is it strange that I still love him?"  
"Not at all! The heart wants what it wants, Emma and you're allowed to love him."  
"Thanks Nemo," they slip into silence and drink more.  
Nemo raises her cup in a toast "to stupid men"  
Emma copies the gesture "and the fools who love them"

After another two cups of sake, Nemo tells Emma - perhaps hoping it will help the younger woman, "It's hard to throw off that kind of conditioning, especially coming from someone you love."  
"That sounds like you have experience with it..."  
"I grew up in a situation both like and unlike Sekiro's. I was expected to act a certain way, perform to the best of my ability and to do as my parents said without question." Nemo pauses then shakes off the memories, "I was fortunate enough to find a way free, with the assistance of my first two soulmates. But it took time and I did cave once before breaking free."  
"I see."  
"It's in no way meant to invalidate your anger and your sorrow, Emma - I'm sorry if it came off that way. I just thought perhaps it would make his actions a little easier to understand."  
"There's nothing to apologise for. Our men are both foolish idiots aren't they."  
"They are - and we love them anyway." Emma nods and they change the topic as the storm clouds begin to gather in the deepening blue of twilight.

"Nemo, why weren't you concerned about your hand?"  
"Because it's a minor wound and also a rather unhealthy coping mechanism among other things - the pain grounds me against my grief, which could drag me under so fast. Still, if Isshin hadn't interfered I would have cleaned and sewn it shut - it would have hurt like a bitch but healed once that poison on Owl's blade wore off. I am not helpless. In fact I hold power in my hands that would terrify most people. So I've almost always stood apart from those I seek to help." Lightning glimmers through the gathered clouds and there's the distant rumble of thunder. "Maybe I am right to..."  
"You said you're older than Isshin. I find it hard to believe."  
Nemo laughs a little at that, "fortunately my immortality came with a lack of aging. I was born human, became immortal through another's meddling and have lived a long life since."  
Emma's eyes went wide, "you're immortal? Does Vidas have the dragonrot?"  
"In order, yes and no; my immortality was the result of someone else's poor decision making and magic. But in the Empire that Vidas was created to stand against most of its inhabitants are immortal. It's simply how things are and there's no ill effects."  
"That's fascinating. I don't suppose you'd give me a blood sample for my research?"  
Nemo tilts her head, "I'd be pleased to - here," and before Emma can react Nemo's pulled a small glass vial out from one of her pockets and a knife out of her hairpin, "I also would like hairpins like that," Emma says watching as Nemo stabs herself, letting the blood drip into the vial until it's about 3/4s full. "They're a specialty of a jeweller in Vidas. Once the war is over I'd be pleased to take you to meet them and you can commission them for some of your own."  
She puts the stopper into the glass, and her knife back into it's sheath, still in her hair. She passes over the vial and Emma stashes it away.

The storm is all but on top of them now, the first signs of rain and hail beginning to fall. Nemo looks up at the lightning now so much closer. "Would you like to experience something fantastical?" she asks Emma "I promise it'll be fun."  
"Alright," Emma replies curious and takes Nemo's offered hand.   
"Hang on tight then, she says and lifts her left hand - lightning strikes them, and Emma can't hear over the roaring crackle but then they're high - high in the clouds jumping from lightning to lightning soaring over Ashina. "This is incredible," she calls out, not sure if Nemo will hear "I know," Nemo replies, and her voice is full of joy in a way that makes her seem younger "it is the best way to travel."  
They ride the spiral cloud down over the mountain and then soar back to the castle. Nemo sets them down on the watchtower Emma claimed - noting the presence of Wolf. Emma's eyes sparked with lightning and she shook her head trying to clear it  
"I forgot it's very intense if you're not used to it." Nemo said, "The first time I rode lightning I got back and well... there were some very satisfied friends that night."  
Emma laughs, "can you ease it... we have not yet made things right."  
Nemo smiles "wise lady, here," she passes her hand over Emma's face, a gentle touch that eases the exhilaration burning beneath her skin.  
"It's still there, a little. Just in case things do work out well for you tonight." Nemo looks up and spies Wolf's blush - he's obviously listening in to the conversation.  
"Thank you Nemo. Will you be alright?"  
"Yes. I'll head over to the dojo and practice some to work off the energy."  
She leaves the two of them to their talk, and hopes that it does work out for them, as they both deserve the chance to be happy.

"Emma," his voice is soft "I'm bad at words but I need you to know I am sorry. And if my choices have ruined things, then I just want to say that I hope you find happiness." He looks at his arm, "and that I'm thankful for the care you showed me since before I even remember, and the hope you gave me. I am sorry and grateful - I have a second chance because you were willing to risk death to save me."  
"Wolf..." She shakes her head, "I love you - that has not changed. But I am hurting still."  
He accepts that truth, "what can I do to make amends," he says dropping to one knee in front of her "for when I chose to take this second chance I realised that I love you."  
"I do not know." her hand reaches, carefully, hesitantly and cup his cheek, sliding up over the whitening that is the mark of the resurrective power he holds.  
"If you do, please tell me," he leans into the gentle touch, "for now - would you prefer me to go or to stay?"  
She remembers something Nemo had said while they'd sat in the silvergrass, that she'd choose to seek joy, for through pain, through hardship, through war - joy was how she'd survived. And though she's not yet quite ready to say she forgives him, she makes a choice and tells him "I'd like you to stay."

Isshin returns to his rooms, after he'd found Emma he'd been waylaid by several of the Generals, to find them empty of anyone. There's a note laying on the table, addressed to him. He opens it to find a poem penned in Nemo's careful hand, the words hit hard:

I am not a jewel, do not lock me away for your own perusal  
do not tell me that I am too precious to risk losing

for unlike a jewel I laugh and love

if you must think of me as such, think of me as your weapon;  
care for me, keep me at your side and I will cut your enemies down

but unlike a sword I breathe and feel

He placed the note inside a chest for safekeeping and then swore. He'd fucked up, a second time in as many weeks, and now he'd have to find a way to fix it - starting by finding where Nemo was. After taking off most of his armour, he heads up to the dojo - he had noticed Nemo tended to motion, her practicing a constant for hours each day. And he thinks it more likely for her to have gone to a space more neutral than his private sanctuary. He murmurs a prayer under his breath as he goes, that she'd be willing to hear him out. 

There's not much light in the dojo she's claimed as her own, just a few candles that highlight the glittering purple-gold under her skin, the scales she doesn't often bring out. above one hand a small ball of flame glows - changing from white to orange to nearly invisible purple with an edge of blue as she moves. She drops into splits slowly and then uses one hand to get back up, balancing on it before carefully getting herself upright again. The ball of flame stays steady and continues to constantly change colour and temperature. She hears movement, the sharp intake of breath - knows that it's Isshin without looking and so she asks him even as she moves into the next position, a bend that limbo-dancers would envy. "Lord Ashina, what may I do for you?" the formality is sharp but her tone is mild.  
"Lady D'Vidas," he responds - echoing her formality, though there's no edge just sorrow in his voice. "I come to speak with you. Would you listen?"

She straightens and inclines her head "I will my lord," letting the small fire in her hand go to light the larger lantern in the roof she turns and sees Isshin kneeling. His sword is in his hands and he's looking at the blade, not at her. Drawn despite herself she moves closer to him as he speaks. "With this blade I took back our country. I fought for Ashina for years and did not count the cost. It is in many ways my life. I would offer it to you." He does so - looking up at her "you are a person. I would have you fight by my side, I would trust you with my life. I love you."

Nemo reaches out, closing her hands around the sword, lifting it in silence. It was longer that she was used to - though surprisingly light for its size. Isshin rocks back sitting on his heels and watches as Nemo moves into the center of the dojo, running through a favoured kata with his weapon - though slower than usual to allow herself the chance to compensate for the difference between it and her blade. Watching her, Isshin feels a lot of emotions; love and lust and longing all mixed up together with the hope that he's not blundered irrepairably. She's well aware of his gaze - the hurt begins to dissipate slowly as she moves. A hard won wisdom she's found over the millenia is that hurt happens sometimes in relationships - what matters most is what's done about it.

Finishing the set with a graceful flourish she returns to Isshin and kneels in front of him so that they are on the same level, holding the sword back out to him. He closes her fingers over it "Keep it, 'til I prove worthy of holding it once more."  
She tilts her head, shifts the sword to balance on her knees, holding it steady with her left hand. Her right draws Kaedne and she places it into Isshin's hands "If I carry your life, then it is only fair you carry mine." she tells him, and in a mirroring of his gesture she closes his fingers round the handle and lets go. He stands, and much like Nemo did runs through a kata, focusing on the blade in his hands - it's lighter and more responsive, but he's seen her fight and knows that it can hold up under the weight of punishing blows. Nemo moves to the opposite side of the dojo, watching him with a small genuine smile. When he stills, she focuses again on his blade, something about it is pricking at her mind, wanting acknowledgement - her eyes widen "Isshin! Is your blade a natural conductor?"  
He's pleased by her slipping into a lack of formality again "Yes. For fire." Nemo grins and concentrates a moment and suddenly his sword lights with red-gold flame and she laughs "That's amazing."  
He smiles back, pleased "Is yours also a conductor."  
"Yes, for lightning foremost." She allows the fire to go out and raises his sword into a defensive stance. "I'll show you sometime, if you like."  
He mirrors her pose "I'd enjoy that, my lady."  
"Nemo, Isshin - my name is Nemo." and with that she moves, and it's not quite a spar, not quite katas together but something more akin to a dance. It's mesmerising to hold another's sword and fight with their life in your hands. There's not the frenzy or rush of their previous fights but a slower testing, learning that eventually speeds back up as they learn the counterbalances and compensations they need to make.

They reach a stalemate, blades locked together and at her raised eyebrow he nods, stepping back. He offers her her sword back with a murmured "I'm sorry, Nemo."  
She takes it and then holds out his blade, waiting until he takes it "I believe you. I just want you to understand why."   
He sheathes the sword "You are a person and I didn't treat you like one - I let my own desire to see you unharmed override your decisions. I am truly sorry."  
"I will not be loved by someone who cannot accept me as I am." Her lips twist, "I'll still love them though."  
Something in him eases at her words. "When you can, forgive me."  
She nods in response, not willing yet to voice forgiveness - not until she's certain that she'd speak truly.  
"Will you come have a late tea with me?"  
"Yes." She takes his offered arm and allows him to escort her back to his rooms and pour them both sake.  
"The tea in Ashina is very good and very much not tea," she tells him after finishing a cup and pouring another, this time remembering her training that allows her to purge the alcohols effects - while she does appreciate the dulling, tomorrow's Nemo will thank her when she wakes up hangover free.  
Isshin salutes her with his own cup "We make the best sake - and tonight, thanks to your assistance we drink in a rat-free castle."

The night grows later and Isshin - he wants to ask if she'll stay, but doesn't want to force her into something she's not ready to do. She looks at him raising an eyebrow and says "Ask, Isshin - I can tell you have something on your mind."  
"Would you stay? Please..."  
Nemo tilts her head "I will go see to the Divine Heir - I have a feeling he's not asleep. But I will return and stay by your side a while longer."  
"Thank you."

She suits actions to words and bounds along the rooftop, sneaking in the side window she sees Kuro reading in the library   
"Kuro,"  
"Nemo."  
"It is getting late venyi, will you put down your books?"  
"I don't think I can sleep tonight Nemo."  
She moves closer and offers a hug - pleased when he folds himself into the embrace, "Let me help you with that Kuro?"  
"Okay. I trust you."  
She lifts him easily and sits down with the boy cradled in her lap. "Breathe with me," she tells him and begins the quiet meditative patterns of breaths pleased when he copies her, as she feels him relax she begins to sing lullabies that fit within the pattern - sings them in Videan without translating and aided perhaps by the magic she wields in her voice, Kuro falls asleep. "Keep him from nightmares, safe as may be, let his dreams be peaceful, let him fly free"  
She leaves a small pile of books from Vidas, two of histories and a few collections of tales all of which she'd painstakingly translated in the evenings when the rest of the world slept, with a note about them being a gift.

Nemo returns back to Isshin after - always a woman of her word, and she encourages him to reminiscence, enjoying the chance to know a little more about him. And she offers the occasional story of her own, plenty of those to choose from. She gets him into his bed when he tires, managing him with the grace of one with years of experience of dealing with large drunk friends. He tugs on her hand, and asks her to stay until he sleeps. She shakes her head, and sits down next to him. "Love you," he whispers, and despite his drunken state the words don't slur at all.  
"And I love you. We are still we, for as long as you wish it so," she replies, unsurprised when he shifts to use her leg as a pillow. She beings to sing the lullabies of Vidas, stroking his hair until he falls asleep. Once he does, she gets up, covers him better with the blanket and leaves to make her hangover cure in a large batch - it's best made up fresh. While she is doing so, she receives another letter from Genichiro, which worries her.

 

Nemo,

I think I have found a solution. I do not know if it will suit you as well as I but, as you said in your first letter we walk different paths though our goals are similar. I hope to return to Ashina soon to aid in its defense, and perhaps when I do we may fight alongside each other as I have great respect for your abilities.

Lord Genichiro

 

The storm Nemo had, well not quite summoned, but that had blown in the previous night was still providing much in the way of heavy rain, hail and the thick stormclouds kept the world feeling dark. She'd always had a decent sense of time so it what would have been the hour or so before dawn Nemo begins to take the curatives around Ashina. She drops off each set with a clear printed instruction sheet. And so she goes from the top of the castle where the elite of Ashina's samurai meet for tea to the outer buildings where the army men lay snoring. She also goes further out from the castle as the revelry had spread far and wide. On her return to the castle as the wind picked up its song and lightning flashed bright and beautiful she goes to Emma's rooms and raises an eyebrow, she smiles and straightens the blanket with a wave of her hand before leaving a tray with fresh fruit, tea and breakfast for two behind her.

She goes over to Kuro's room thinking to leave him some breakfast as well and her young ally is already awake, nose in one of the books Nemo had brought him. "It's early to be up Kuro-venyi,"  
He looks up and smiles "Nemo, thank you for the books!"  
"You're very welcome. I thought perhaps you'd like some different reading. Though I wasn't expecting you to be awake, you did sleep quite late last night."  
"I feel quite rested," he replies and there's a glint in his eye that convinces Nemo to drop the subject.   
"Well I've brought you some snacks to eat while you read - and I'd be happy to stay a while if you had questions about what you're reading."  
"My question is how I can actually read this - I thought that written words didn't translate."  
"They don't. And the correct answer is usually the most obvious one."  
"You translated them for me?"  
She nods and then has to use the Force to balance the tray she was carrying as she's tackled hugged by Kuro. She hugs him back, "you're my friend, Kuro, it was my pleasure to do this for you."  
"Thank you Nemo. Thank you so much."

After spending a wonderful time talking about some of the stories with Kuro she returns to find Isshin awake and grumpily nursing a cup of tea. She shakes her head, makes up the last hangover cure she has and passes it to him. Once it kicks in and he's feeling better she has a late breakfast with him. When he sighs, speaking of boredom when the storm shows no signs of abating, she takes him to the old temple via lightning and leaves him there with proper tea, food and sake.  
"Enjoy yourself," she tells him as lightning crackles around her, the strike near-blinding and then she's gone. Sekijo has come out of the temple at the noise and he whistles "Isshin what on earth have you gotten yourself into?"  
His friend is still staring, half stunned at where the woman had vanished "love, apparently. she's a meddler."  
"She's more than just that - a friend of young Emma too, she came to visit before. Now are you going to come in or stand around looking at the sky all day?"  
He turns "It's good to see you, my friend. Lets see what the lady left us."

Nemo rolls through lightning, one with the storm in ways she rarely allows herself to be. She heads to the spiral clouds that she'd run through with Emma - there were lingering memories there that she wanted to see if she could access. Nemo landed, the mountain cool under her feet and stretched. Past and present melded through the storm that blew around her and she watched a dancer teach a young man what it was like to touch lightning. After the memory of Genichiro had left Nemo approaches the lady, Tomoe, who spins to face her. "Sister of the storm, you are not in your right time."  
Nemo bows "I will return soon enough. Sister of the storm will you dance with me?"  
They fight then, with staves made of lightning, they dance with the freedom that those whose blood flows with storm power knows and Nemo will mourn on her return for the lady's loss. Maybe she'll write to Genichiro of this, his last letter still playing on her mind - she is holding onto hope for him, faint though it may be. 

She gets back to Ashina Castle feeling revitalised. It's always nice to meet other storm-blooded. Isshin hasn't yet returned - so she decides to take a bath and then if he's not back by dinner she'll go get him. Washing her hair always makes Nemo think about cutting it shorter - though it is not as long as it was when... she moves on from the memory - nowadays it merely hangs to her ankles in loose waves. Wrapping herself in one of Isshin's robes - she's allowed to be a sap when there's no-one to see - she begins the long process of brushing it out, humming to herself as she does.

The brush is tugged gently out of her hand, and she lets go, leaning into the way Isshin strokes it through her hair. She hears a soft huff of laughter but his hands are steady and gentle. She lets him braid her hair, leaning back against him when he's done. He murmurs "I don't remember you asking to borrow a robe..."  
"It's comfy and warm and feels like you. Also you weren't exactly here to ask."  
"What if I said I wanted it back?"  
"Then you should take it." her tone is light, provocative.

She's always forgetting just how fast Isshin can move when he wants and that's how she ends up with her arms trapped in the sleeves of his robe as it falls off her shoulders. "Beautiful," he says, hands trailing over soft skin.  
"Flattery," she retorts and shifts to see if she can get herself free without having to dislocate a shoulder.  
He grabs her chin and tilts her head so she's no choice but to look into his eyes - the love burning in them scares her as much as it warms her "I speak only the truth, lady of mine." he tells her "you are beautiful." She shivers at the intensity of his words - much more powerful than the lightning in her veins  
He kisses her then, shifting his weight so that they tumble down together and Nemo rolls her shoulder as they go so that she's able to get one hand free and brings it up to thread into silver-white hair.

They kiss - sweetly, lazily and then Nemo moves, rolling them over so that she can finally get her other hand free. The look on his face, watching her - she'd forgotten what it was like to have someone look like that, like you're the most beautiful thing in the world, like they cannot believe that you are here, with them. His hands stroke patterns across her skin, but his eyes never leave her face, drinking in the reactions that his touch is causing "how long?" he asks  
"mmm?" her eyes have gone half-closed with enjoyment.  
"i would shower you in compliments my love, but your reaction to the simplest of them - how long?"  
Her lips curve - it's not an expression one could call a smile, "since the last relationship - about five centuries. Since casually sharing my bed with others, more than two." She shrugs "I keep telling you I'm horrendously out of practice at this."  
"They say that practice makes perfect," he tells her with a smile and she laughs, leaning in to kiss him.

They're nearly late to dinner. Emma gives Nemo a raised eyebrow when she sees her, and Nemo grins back at her friend who lifts her cup of -actual- tea in salute. Dinner's a noisy affair - the Sculptor comes up from the temple, escorted by Wolf which makes both Emma and Isshin light up like lanterns. Kuro is smiling and that makes Nemo so happy. She's done all the cooking - dishes made with love and memory and produce that she may or may not have snuck in using one of the dimensional portals she can create. Everyone enjoys the range of food - Kuro adores the spicy curry that she made, Emma and Wolf keep stealing the apple-parcels from the other and between them finish off all of the ones Nemo made. Sekijo is grumbly but does admit that the custard tarts were his favourite. Isshin tries a little of everything but takes his leave early - citing tiredness that brings a faint flush to Nemo's cheeks.

They exchange stories until it's late enough that Kuro's falling asleep, leaning on Wolf who has wrapped an arm around his boy. Nemo returns to Isshin's rooms to find him still awake with a pile of fabric in his lap. "There you are, Nemo," he says when he looks up, "come and try this on." He stands, shaking out the fabric to reveal a robe.   
Nemo looks at it in shock, "Isshin. Isshin Ashina, did you skive off after dinner so that you could cut the robe of yours I was wearing this afternoon down to a size that means it won't drag on the floor behind me?"  
"Yes, come on - try it on and see if it fits."  
He doesn't understand the word she murmurs next, but she takes the robe from him and slips it on, not looking at him.  
"Nemo," he calls, wanting her to look up, to know that she likes it. It suits her wonderfully he thinks, "Nemo, are you alright."  
"Yes Isshin," she replies though her voice shakes - tears are glimmering in her eyes when she looks up "thank you. for this."  
"You're upset."  
"No... Isshin it's been a very very long time since anyone's cared enough to make something like this for me. By hand. Because they thought I'd like it. I'm not upset, just a little overwhelmed." Though they'd talked on occasion about Vidas, the customs of courting hadn't come up. By those customs, the robe was a gift signifying serious intent with regard to the relationship. He gets up and pulls her into a hug. She feels small in his arms - smaller than usual, usually her personality, her whole self fills the room and makes her seem larger than life. So he holds her close and murmurs words of love and appreciation, feeling her slowly relax. When she does, the illusions shimmer out of existence - she's comfortable enough now that she chooses this. The magic scarring on her neck glows a little - she feels him trace it, but he doesn't ask. She presses into the gentle touch and offers,  
"Concentrated magical explosion. Shielded a child, they were uninjured."  
"I'm glad of that. the lightning whip scars? you don't have to but I'd like to know, because they tell your story."  
They end up in bed cuddled together as Nemo talks about the Pride demon she'd talked down, who'd given her yet another title - the Unbroken Queen.

Wolf comes to see her the following afternoon, and tells her that he's going to be heading to the Divine Realm. She nods, "Safely go, and safely return."  
"If you have any advice for me I would gladly take it."  
She smiles then "My brother. you need to trust yourself - makes sure that you listen to your instincts. and here," she presses a small stone into his hand "it's a summoning stone - if you need me I'll be there. also from what Kuro and I have gleaned from our research you should pack plenty of eel liver"  
"I will. Thank you. Will you watch out for my lord?"  
"We are allies, him and I. I will watch over him until your return."


	6. Three Holds Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> out of time, out of options - Nemo saves Ashina.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the delay. life still kicking my ass.  
> after this chapter is two more light-hearted fluff epilogue type bits. 7 is mostly written even.  
> not 100% happy with all of this but that's what editing is for XD
> 
> if you've stopped by to read this, know that I love you and hope this week brings you a joy you need.

The massive storm that Nemo had summoned continues to rage into the next day, and the ministry have retreated further than Nemo had expected - she thinks perhaps they are waiting on new orders. She'll investigate more fully later, but for now there's armour to reinforce, Kuro to talk with and Isshin to spar against.

She's in a fey mood, love and sorrow all tangled up together, and they're sitting close, enjoying a quiet moment when she starts to sing

“if I'm yours, then say you're mine  
let there be nothing between us now  
may mine be the hand holding yours  
may mine be the lips touching yours  
heart of my own heart, love of my life  
won't you please tell me you're mine.”

She sings it twice over once in Videan, once in her translating language and he takes her hand, lays it over his heart and tells her "I'm yours, even though I can't give you forever."  
Nemo laughs at him, and tells him "give me your today and your tomorrow - and it will be more than enough. I will love you 'til the end of my days. Maybe you'll love me to the end of yours - and the fact that those two will be far distant - it doesn't make your love any less, or mine any more."

"Stay with me a while," he tells her  
"Isshin I have things to do, people to see to."  
"They can wait a little longer..."  
"Fine, a few minutes more...”

That night ghosts ride lightning far and wide, following the roads and paths until one of the spectres finds the central command. She listens in, knowing that they are running short on time and hoping to get a better sense of how long is left before things come crashing down. The leader of the ministry shinobi – she recognises him, he’d escaped from the roof when she and Wolf had been clearing it, their need to get back to Kuro had stopped them from following – reports to his superiors. They are not pleased to hear of Isshin’s recovery and fierce defence of his land. “I thought that you had ensured Isshin was dying,” and Nemo’s blood boils at the implication that the disease was in fact a poison. “And who this Nemo D’Vidas, some upstart foreigner? Obviously Ashina is unsalvageable.”

“Oh I’m an upstart foreigner alright,” she murmurs, part of her still paying attention to the continued discussion while the rest of her gathers her power, and the memory of the disease she’d stolen away. “Your army may succeed in uniting your country, but none of you who had anything to do with poisoning my heart will live to see it.” Blood drips from where her claw opened a line on her palm. “By my blood, by my magic, by my will, you who use treachery will falter and fall.”

They determine that they will shortly march in force on Ashina – that for now the current army will harry at the outskirts but not risk a major engagement. And they will raze the land behind them, killing any who object. Nemo’s opinion of them drops lower again and the still-summoned spirit-clones of herself head out once more, to go among the people of Ashina and to warn them to get out. The forests reach out to her as she goes, as do the mountains - they will shelter their people.

The part of her that is still mostly Nemo goes out from her perch having heard enough, as she returns she calculates the size and strength of the army – Ashina is apparently the only holdout left and thus they are able to march in greater numbers than before. She is very, very worried by what she finds. Still the people of Ashina listen to her and they take what they can and vanish into the countryside so that they may survive this.

On her return to Ashina castle she means to go see Kuro, the storm will last another day so she wants the chance to practice her writing. On her way to see him though, she feels the odd buzzing in her bones that means that Wolf has used the summon stone. She closes her eyes and the wind takes her away. The divine realm is beautiful – there’s water and mountains and flowers and everything is so vividly real. She turns around taking it all in for a moment and then spins back to face Wolf, “you called?”  
“Yes.”  
She raises an eyebrow “How can I help, brother mine?”  
“The guards here are fond of lightning, and I thought perhaps you’d be willing to assist.”  
“Most certainly,” she smiles at him.

They work together as smoothly as they did at the temple. Her enhanced abilities mean that she can leap and bound quite as well as her brother, and it’s much easier with someone to watch your back – the lightning the leader women throw is easily caught and returned by Nemo even as Wolf fights the archers. There’s another warrior with his fear spells but they know the dance well enough, Nemo plays bait and Wolf takes him down easily. 

After clearing themselves a pathway through the palace outbuildings, a kind old lady tells them about the back way up to the main doors – one that can only be passed through by swimming past the great carp. Nemo tells Wolf he’s on his own for that bit and that she should be getting back. He thanks her for her help and then dives below the waters, seeking out the cave entrance.

When she returns enough time has passed that the new army is close. She sneaks out among them and sees how many their numbers have swelled to - and knows in her heart that it is time to see what choices can be made. And she does not want to see Ashina fall, for its people are brave and unbroken, and magic lingers in the land in a way that much of the planet has lost - she has sensed it. She sends Emma to the outskirts temple - trusting her instincts, she knows without a doubt that Orangutan cares for Emma and that may be the hold on sanity he needs right now; she learned of Hanbei’s request and passing from Wolf and understands while she mourns, she does not wish to lose the Sculptor as well.

Nemo stands on the rooftop arena and swears in three tongues, there's no way around it - for her to be able to do what is necessary she would have to lay claim to Ashina as a liege lord. If Isshin accepted vassalisation, with the understanding that it would be in name only then maybe, just maybe there would be a chance that she could make the entire realm part of Vidas - Divine to Depths. It would be likely that she'd need Kuro to agree as well - otherwise the Divine Realm would likely stay firmly planted here when she moved the rest. He was of the dragon's heritage after all. Isshin and Kuro find her there - the ministry is storming the gates, and Ashina is on fire.

"Nemo-venyi," Kuro calls "What shall we do?"

She turns to them, her lover and her friend-ally-son "We've got two options. The first, we fight and live or die by the power we wield. And then we fight again and again as they continue to rally - they've got more manpower though our soldiers are superior." She shrugs "I do not see peace returning to these lands for a long time."

"What's the second option Lady D'Vidas," asks Isshin formally.

She bows her head "Accept vassalisation as part of Vidas. Let me claim these lands and people as my own and I will be able to... to shift Ashina to be connected into Vidas - a place far from the ministry's reach. It would be a vassalisation in name only, I would not ask you to follow the laws of Vidas save if you enter into its bounds for trade. Nor would I require you to acknowledge me as a ruler. You could make a life of peace for your people and we'd have time to find a way to break the Dragon Heritage that does not end up in death and sorrow. I know it is much to ask."

"I accept. Lady D'Vidas," Isshin replies "do what needs to be done."

She draws Re'zunuh from her back once more, and grips it high, it's edge cutting freely into her hand. "I would claim this country as my own. I would stand as Protector of its people, as Caretaker to its lands. I would have it know peace and an end to war, that its people be free and its lands fertile - I would claim Ashina"

Isshin moves to stand next to her, he catches on fast his hand placed below hers, blood running free "I am Isshin Ashina, Lord of these lands and I will accept your claim. I would have you stand, Protector of our people to see freedom reign."

Kuro smiles, when Nemo nods at him, he is slightly startled when his blood too runs, but his words are steady and sure, "I am the Divine Heir of the Dragon's Heritage and I accept your claim. I would have you stand Caretaker of Ashina always."

Nemo drops the shields she always holds her power and age shining through, and declares "By blood spilled free, by blood spilled three - I claim Ashina, it belongs to me. And as I will it, so shall it be." The sword drops through their hands, magic spreading out from a pillar of light. The cost of this is great – she can already feel the magic’s pull on the offering of her blood. The light spreads, purple tinged gold coating the mountains and valleys, all that belongs to Ashina, it gilds the swords of the fighters, touches the farthest farmlands and winds begin to blow.

Isshin steadies Kuro as the winds pick up, whipping around them, the light covers them as well, heals the wounds on their hands and feels like a blanket tucked around them. Nemo’s hand is still bleeding freely, but the light of her magic has turned even that to gold. She appears made of light and flame, her humanity burns away - sharpening her nails into claws, turning her into something more than human. Nemo does not need to speak again; She who Does Not Sleep, The Queen Unbroken, maker and destroyer of worlds opens the way home with a gesture.

And all that light covers, the people and the land, becomes part of her irrevocably. She is one with the land and it is one with her and she calls forth her magic, lets the years she has unravel because all that she is, will go with her. She steps forward into the sudden burning flame, that sprung up from where Re’zunuh fell, blue-green and as tall as she is. The whole world trembles, shakes and then steadies. At the edge of their two countries is a deep canyon and a rushing river. Three broken bridges will eventually connect the two but for now, for now Ashina is safe and home and that is enough.

Even as Nemo swayed on her feet from the use of so much magic, she summoned more - calling on all her reserves, on her life itself and that of the power of the lands she'd claimed - thus all who were in battle see a ghostly figure appear with sword out and she cried "Halt. Ashina is now under mine protection. If you drop your weapon and surrender you shall return unharmed to your Ministry. If you choose to fight on you will face me."

Many chose to surrender and found themselves where Ashina had once stood. Now it was large forests and tall mountains all untouched by human hands. Not even the ghosts of the past lingered, so confused and afraid but glad to be alive they returned to their homes. The others fought on, and Nemo's shades cut them down again and again and again - even as she healed the warriors of Ashina. She smiled cruelly when she was approached by the leader of the Ministry shinobi. He doubled over coughing, and she laughed “Not so pleasant a poison when it’s used on yourself is it?”  
“What have you done?”  
“You are the last, all the others who connived to see my heart die by underhanded means are dead. You are experiencing the poison you intended for him, but a more virulent version.”  
She watches him die, and does not offer the mercy of her sword.

The last place her projection appeared was in the silvergrass field where Genichiro stood. "What have you done?" he asked  
"Saved Ashina."  
"How?"  
She tells him, and he doesn't take it well. "Please, Lord Genichiro." she tries to reach him, "I did what I could. There's a chance now for peace and life, isn't that enough?"  
"No. Ashina is no more, you're no better than the ministry." He draws a black mortal blade - and since when was there a third one, if she survives this she's going to yell at Isshin for not mentioning it sooner.   
"It's in name only - Ashina is not subservient to Vidas! I promise.”  
"Betrayer. There's nothing more to be said."  
Nemo cannot, will not draw her sword, not on this man. The mortal blade slashes through her projection, as it breaks apart she sees him vanish and she desperately hangs on long enough to send a message...

He is somewhere that is not where he was moments ago. The black blade’s power is sapping his energy fast so he sheathes it. There are mountains to his left, and a forest to his right. He still has his bow, his swords and his armour so he heads for the forest - thinking it more likely to have game for hunting. 

(A message arrives, marked urgent, for Solas - she's the only one who calls him that still. He opens it, raises an eyebrow at her request but sends out a group to see if this Genichiro can be found, and if so to offer him the chance to come to his court and make a home of it. They do and he does, for a time at least.)

Then she falls down, returned to her body grey faced and bleeding out. The wound transferred and he had meant it to kill her, the projection is the only reason she’s still alive. Isshin asks Kuro to run for Emma - she'd returned earlier with the Sculptor in grumpy tow. He kneels by Nemo and his hands are shaking. “Panic later,” she whispers, “I’m sorry.”  
“How…”  
“Mortal blade. Black. Your grandson.”  
“Why didn’t you stop him?”  
“Your grandson! Family.” she winces, “Fuck, but this is not a good amount of blood to be losing.”

Emma races up and takes control; she’d made sure that Kuro would stay with the sculptor because he doesn’t need to see this. “Why aren’t you healing Nemo?” she asks, even as she cuts away the ruined cloth and folds it into makeshift pressure bandages. Nemo manages an eyebrow raise, “I just burned out all my gathered magic plus about three and a half centuries of life-force to move Ashina, I can’t heal right now. Pellets and water might not work either.”  
“Old fashioned we go then, Lord Isshin, help me get this bleeding stopped. Put pressure on here, and here.” He does so, and Emma works to stitch the wound. She pours gourd-water over it, but like Nemo expected the mortal-blade’s power is stronger. The bleeding does slow a little though.

Nemo’s clinging to consciousness as best she can, “love you, Isshin. Love you Emma. Tell Wolf and Kuro too.”  
“If that is the last thing you say to me Nemo I swear I will learn necromancy just to bring you back and kill you myself!”  
She laughs breathlessly at Emma’s vehemence, “hard to kill. Got good doctor friend.”  
“Stay with me, Nemo!”  
“Trying.”  
Isshin’s hands are stained with her blood, “Please live, Nemo.”  
“Do my best. Wanna show you my home.” Darkness claims her.

Wolf gets back from the Divine Realm with tears carefully caught in a vial to find chaos. There's no-one in Kuro's room when he looks and he can't find Emma. He decides to try Isshin's rooms and there finds Nemo, sitting up in bed and she smiles at him  
"You've returned to us, brother-mine."  
"I have. What's happened."  
Nemo gives the short rundown - the idea that they are now in another universe is so strange a thought but he listens to Nemo's calm explanations and agrees that perhaps this was best. He'd not been happy to learn about the cost for obtaining severance of the Dragon's Heritage and now they would have a chance to do it right.   
"I'll let the Divine Child know - did Senpou come with us?"  
"Yes. I would be grateful, I did not want to leave her behind."  
"Now why are you in bed - was the price so high?"  
She shrugs and winces, "not so much the price - it was about what I had expected, but Lord Genichiro did not take it well. He attacked me with a black mortal blade."

"And you live?"  
"I'm stubborn, it was a projection of me rather than my physical body and I did nearly die. Fortunately Emma's a genius."  
"She is. I am glad you live, sister."  
"Thank you. In any case everyone's sort of taking stock and cleaning up at the moment, Kuro sweet-talked his way into the kitchens and has been helping them."  
"My lord has always had a fondness for making sweets and things."  
She smiles, "you should go let him know you've returned. Emma's out and about helping the injured but she'll return to the castle in about two hours to check in on me."

"The man who raised me," Wolf says as he rises to his feet, "one of the things he taught was how names were given, to grow into or to acknowledge their deeds." His lips quirk up "Owl's are supposed to have far-reaching sight, and are mighty hunters."  
She tilts her head, "A wolf is fierce in defence of their pack, and can fight off mightier foes with fang and claw."   
"Hinotori. She who revives stronger when brushing past death. For whom flames dance and shadows flee."  
She accepts the name with a nod, "I think I'll mostly stick to Nemo though," but there's a quiet pleasure in her eyes that he had thought her deeds worth naming. If she needs an alias in the future, Hinotori will be the one she uses.

A few days later Nemo was still confined to bed rest - the mortal wound was slow to heal fortunately it had been quiet - divine severance and such set aside in order to get things cleaned up and improved in Ashina. she received a bird with news from Vidas and swore - Wolf, who was in the room asked what was wrong and Nemo told him she needed to get to Vidas, that Fen’Harel, the emperor of New Elvhenan was demanding an audience, and her refusing it could lead to a war that she does not want.  
“Lady Hinotori, sister, I will help you.”  
“Thank you, Wolf.”

She accepts his aid, both through the gaachin sugar he gives her and the support of his arm, they get down to the silvergrass and the bridge does not yet connect to Vidas but it's right there so they jump and it's wonderfully terrifying. Wolf uses the full might of his grapple arm to get to the palace Nemo calls home - and then asks to further assist her. She washes by herself as he picks out an easily wrapped outfit in deep purple embroidered with gold and silver thread. 

When she reappears he swears at the sight of the barely closed wound across her sternum - it should have been fatal and it looks like it might reopen if she’s not careful. With gentle hands he helps her into the outfit, and then they begin the walk to the receiving hall. Halfway down the corridor Nemo pauses, "Huh..."  
"Nemo?"  
"The Emperor brought a friend with him. I'm going to fancy this up a bit I think."

Suiting actions to words she summons jewellery; a fancy circlet, bracelets and necklaces in shimmering silver, highlighted with bright gold and dripping with precious gems of white and purple. She slips her glamour down a little and her face sharpens, her lips glitter dark red and gold sparkles through her grey eyes. Wolf thinks she looks every inch an Empress and she laughs when he says so, "that's the idea."

She's not completely steady; the pain keeps breaking through her suppression of it. Wolf offers her a rice ball, Kuro keeps making them for him and its sweetness bursts over her tongue and revives her greatly. He stays a half step behind and to her left ready to support her if she needs it. Nemo settles on the backless seat - she vehemently refuses a throne, though the council tries every couple of centuries to get her to accept one. He kneels beside her, settling into the watchful wait that she had noticed shinobi excelled at, it was almost a kind of battle-meditation.

She gives the signal and the doors swing open, allowing the visitors to walk in. Fen'Harel is accompanied by ten elves - several of whom are definitely spirit-born. Walking at his side is Genichiro. When Wolf looks over at his sister, he can tell she is unsurprised by the presence of the man who tried to kill her. She glances at him and murmurs low enough that the party approaching cannot hear, "stand down brother. He is the grandson of Isshin and I will not see a hand raised against him in my halls."   
Wolf nods briefly in acknowledgement. 

The door closes silently and she stands slow and graceful bowing in the Videan manner - one hand across her heart and down backwards never taking the eye off the person. The movement comes across as serious and elegant but there’s a slight tightening around her eyes that shows she is pushing her limits. Wolf privately thinks that the elves wouldn't guess at her injury and frowns slightly - while he understands not appearing weak there's something to be said for pride getting in the way. He also notes Genichiro is watching her intently, some emotion unnamed passing over his face.

She speaks the formal greeting twice over, first in Videan and then translated “I am a person, she/her, and my name is Nemo D'Vidas. My titles are myriad but I set them aside and invite you to call me by name as a sign of goodwill for our conversation.”  
“We are all free,” the Emperor replies, well versed in the traditions of her people, “I am Fen'Harel, emperor of New Elvhenan, and I come to speak on a private most urgent matter." His tone is halfway between polite and combative but Nemo decides to give him the benefit of the doubt.   
"Emperor Fen'Harel, let us share tea together that your concerns may be addressed. You may bring one member of your retinue, the rest are welcome in Vidas. Refreshments will be provided for them and no harm will come to them in my halls." 

She predicts correctly that it is Genichiro who remains at Solas' side, Wolf offers his arm to her and she allows him to support her in standing - the act is noted by both the others, and they follow her to a small side room off of the main hall. Two of the apprentices that she hosts bring in trays one with a steaming pot of tea and the other hosting platters of sweet and savoury bites. Nemo pours the tea for all four of them even as Wolf tries to argue that he shouldn't and she looks at him and says, "brat, you are my brother and my equal. Drink."  
"I'm your guard. Sister"   
"Eat a bloody pastry, drink your tea and just by the way you're a lord too, idiot."  
"Isn't the Lady of Vidas the only title holder," Kuro must have told him about that.  
"Yes, but this lady of Vidas happens to know that the Lord of Ashina is planning to make you and Emma Lord and Lady Hirata, and give you the estate so that you can rebuild it into a place to be proud of."

"That's a cadet line, he can't do that," objects Genichiro as Solas drinks the vanilla and honey sweet tea with an amused expression - it had taken Nemo years to find a flavour blend he wouldn't object to. She grins, all teeth and danger at Genichiro and reminds him   
"Lord of Ashina. He does as he pleases, Lord Genichiro you should know that."  
Genichiro nods reluctantly, "that does sound like grandfather." 

Having finished being side-tracked, Nemo refreshes her cup and then toasts the table, "to hearth, health and happiness.”  
"To a fruitful discussion," Solas replies and they drink in unison.  
"Thank you," she tells him, "for listening to my plea."  
"I'm always willing to listen to you," Fen'Harel replies.  
"Liar," but she smiles as she says it, "now please, speak freely of your concerns that have brought you here, Emperor Fen'Harel."

"Lord Genichiro," (she’s pleased that he’s acknowledging Genichiro's title) "told me of what you had done. Is this a power grab Nemo? Do you wish to go to war? Because this looks exactly like that…"  
"Emp… Solas," she says choosing the name over his title because it's Solas she's hoping to speak to, "the Videan way is never, and has never been, to attack first. We will respond to aggression, we will defend ourselves but that is all."  
"People change, Nemo."  
"They may. But I and Vidas with me remain true to this. We have no desire to seek conflict with your empire nor do we seek power."

"Then why did you act as you did?"  
"Threefold were my reasons - To save magic. To give the people of Ashina a chance for peace. And for the love of family found.”  
"Magic?" Genichiro seems to have gotten stuck on the idea.   
“Tomoe was a storm-blooded as am I." She reminds him and then explains to Solas, "magic lives in Ashina in a way it was dying in the rest of the country, perhaps the rest of the world. I thought it worth preserving"  
Genichiro's lips twist, "we are and have been heretics it's true."

Solas asks "How much potential?"  
She thinks on it for a moment, ignoring the flare of pain in her chest. "About two thirds of the population have the potential. I daresay less than a quarter of them would seek out any training beyond little tricks to help them live easier or to improve their crafting."  
Then the smile on her face turns freezing cold and her eyes harden. "Considering what you have done to ensure magic's survival you have no right to make assumption or to judge me Fen'Harel" the way she says his title is full of venom and he wilts under it. Genichiro is reminded of how she'd told him that she'd healed more monstrous men who had lesser reasons.

"Nemo," his voice changes, "you know there was no other way," there’s a lilt to it a lack of the noble accent – Solas talking with the Herald like they’d last done millennia ago.   
She goes to shrug, winces and then tells him "regardless it is done."  
"I will not declare war against you," he tells her and then he wonders "Is Ashina separate from Vidas"  
"For trade agreements?" she asks easily following his thought.  
"Yes."  
"It will be, but before they meet with any of your representatives give then some time to rebuild. Once the kingdom is stable I'm sure they would be interested."

Genichiro finishes his cup of tea and chooses then to ask, "Lady Nemo how is it that you survived?"  
She smiles at him, the expression far warmer than he feels he deserves "it was a projection you attacked, not myself, thus I survived. Though I will admit it was still an unpleasant injury."  
"Nemo, Emma nearly killed you herself for being in such a state, unpleasant doesn't begin to cover it." Wolf interjects.  
"I think I'm starting to agree with Isshin, Emma worries too much."  
Genichiro nearly laughs at their interaction "I am sorry. I was surprised you did not raise a blade in defence."  
She glances at Solas, and then switches languages, "you are the grandson of the man I love." she tells Genichiro and then goes back to the translator tongue "I will not raise my hand against you save in friendly competition. It was a projection - I knew it wouldn’t kill me." Solas raises an eyebrow at the part he didn’t understand but shrugs it off. He might ask Genichiro later.

Genichiro bows in place and she inclines her head before addressing Solas again formally, "Emperor Fen'Harel are you reassured as to my intentions?" A thought brushes against his mind and it's Nemo's true voice, not Lady D'Vidas' *we good, Solas?*  
"I am," he says aloud, *for now at least*  
"Now is all we ever have,” she tells him and then asks "Lord Genichiro are you content to remain in Elvhenan? If you wish to return to Ashina know you are welcome; the way will be open for you to come home." At her words something shifts and he sees for a moment a pathway leading through the mountains he'd first seen, a path that would bring him to Vidas and then to Ashina.

"For now if my presence is unobjectionable to Fen'Harel I will remain in Elvhenan. I am learning much from his people."  
"You are a welcome guest in my court," Solas replies, "stay as long as you wish."  
They stand to take their leave, Wolf assisting Nemo up, and Genichiro asks her to tell his grandfather that he loves him.  
"Of course, I will ensure he knows."  
As they walk out Solas says in elvish, "If I'd known he'd harmed you..."  
She replies in the same tongue "you would have respected my request and helped him anyway? Pleased to hear it. He wasn't in his right mind and believed I'd just stolen away everything he'd been fighting for years to hold onto. I do not hold it against him and you will not."  
"I will not, he will be welcome in my court as long as he wills."

They bid the Elves and Genichiro farewell, and once they are gone Nemo sags on Wolf's arm. "Damn I am out of practice at pain suppression."  
He steadies her, "We should go."  
"I know, we are going to be in so much trouble when we get back Sekiro."  
"Yes, but this - this was important."  
"It was. Time to go face the music."

She places a bribe of sweet wine in her pack and then they travel back to Ashina. Two figures are waiting for them in the silvergrass - Isshin and Emma. Nemo jokes "do you think I could distract Isshin with the wine and then we could run for it?"  
"Lady Emma's too fast for us."  
"True enough. Thank you, for this."  
He nodded and then moved forward drawing Isshin's eye and Emma's ire. Nemo follows, and is quickly swept up into Isshin's arms – his arms are gentle and she rests her head on his shoulder, "it had to be done," she whispers, suddenly tired.  
"It couldn't have waited?"  
"No, it would have risked war."  
"Ah. Still, you are not recovered so now you are going to rest."  
He walks back towards the castle, his steps steady and even and Nemo allows herself to relax in his embrace.

Wolf and Emma argue and make up - especially when he offers to get her back to the castle first so that she can be there waiting to ensure Nemo gets the full lecture.  
It’s an impressive lecture, and Nemo acknowledges that several of Emma’s points are valid. But in the end, she’s always done what is needed regardless of her own health and well being because people depend on her. And their lives to her are so much more valuable. She doesn’t try to explain her reasoning to Emma though, already well aware that her particular attitude in this regard is something that those she calls family will not understand.

They don’t leave her alone much after that and it’s near suffocating. Kuro is always coming by to help her practice her writing because he’s a sweetheart. Nemo notices that Wolf now only visits with Emma – she doesn’t hold it against either of them. Isshin is a steady quiet presence, she thinks perhaps of all of them he may be the one who gets it. She tries to take it easy but she hates being still. And she doesn't sleep, won't now that she's so close to Vidas, her wards should hold but she's tired and hurt and just doesn't trust herself enough. While the rest of them sleep, still in the process of cleaning up and taking stock, she pulls out metal spins it out between her fingers, thin bits of lightning to melt and a steady flame to heat. 

The silver turns into a circlet, simple and elegant - a channel that has embossed symbols in it - they could be meaningless shapes but she breathes her emotions into them, and they will always seem a little like those feelings to anyone looking close. She turns it in her hands and then gathers stones dark blue fills the gaps and shades into indigo then back to blue, a subtle and certain difference. The final shape dips a little like a child's impression of wings at the centre front and back. The work takes her several nights, the first day after their return Wolf leaves her to go back to the Fountainhead – he has a theory about her magic and its restoration.

Finally she begins to heal through a combination of water brought back from the Divine realm, Kuro's rice balls and Emma's continued remedies. Once her magic returns from its burnout, all the stronger for it - Wolf's name was more accurate than he knew, she reinforces Emma's work and slowly, much like Ashina itself, she recovers.


	7. Let Joy Burn Bright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> heading towards the HEA

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one fought me. so much. and then i kept adding and adding and now i'm saying that it's done but i still feel like its missing so much. thanks for reading, for your support and your patience.

A few days after she and Wolf had returned from Vidas, in the mid-afternoon Isshin takes her down to the silvergrass field to sit in the sunlight at her request. Well, Nemo had been planning to go in her own because she was fine really… It’s hard to not feel smothered by their care and she doesn't want to get upset at them. She needed sunlight and to be out of the bed and the room – confinement often chafed her. But she'd taken all of two steps quietly off the bed when Isshin appeared and lifted her off her feet. 

“I’m not an invalid,” she snaps out, frustrated and hurting – refusing to relax in his arms, she doesn’t fight him only because she’s not certain that she’d win.  
“Less than a week ago my hands were covered with your blood as I helped Emma to stop you from dying on the rooftop. Allow me my concern.” His response is just as sharp as hers and his arms tighten around her.  
Her nod is grudging, “Please, then. I just need to get out of his room for a bit.”  
“Why didn’t you ask for help? If you’d called for me, I would gladly carry you.”  
“Because,” she visibly bites back whatever it was she was going to say and continues in a flatter tone, “I dislike needing assistance.”  
“It’s not weakness to need help.”  
She shrugs, because that’s not a statement she can agree with. “Will you take me please? To the field?”  
“I will.” He tilts his head studying her - she's holding herself incredibly stiff in his arms, “you know we love you right?”  
“Yes.”

Isshin sits back down on the bed and feels Nemo withdraw further into herself. “I’ll take you in a moment,” he reassures her. She nods sharply but doesn’t reply, the tension she is carrying worries him and the flatness of her earlier tone... “We love you” he repeats, “I love you.”  
“I know.” She replies and it sounds defeated, the only reason he's not yet panicking is that she's made no move to remove herself from his hold. “I just want to sit outside in the sun for a while Isshin, is that wrong?”  
“No.” He's startled by the question, “Nemo... what's going on?”  
She shrugs and sighs, “I'm just grumpy love.”  
“Mm-hmm,” he hums disbelievingly, then lets it go, standing “Alright, sunshine it is then.”  
He lifts her effortlessly and hears her quiet whisper, “Thanks love.”

On the way down he stops by the kitchens and grabs a packed basket - they always make up extras, hoping that he might convince Nemo to eat something. She has been picking at her food for days now, eating the bare minimum and he knows Emma's concerned. They find a nice spot to sit and Nemo tilts her head towards the sky, closing her eyes and the sunlight warms her skin. The tension in her slowly fades and she leans on Isshin of her own volition, taking a slice of dried persimmon from him and nibbling at it. 

He's surprised to see people at the broken bridge - on the far side, and even as he and Nemo watch they begin to sing - there's an echo coming from down the valley - a second and third team working on other bridges.  
"Your people?"  
"Yes, they sing as they work - and it's nearly time for the winter festival, I thought perhaps the folk of Ashina would enjoy the chance to relax and get to know their neighbours. I've given the merchants a guide for how to convert their prices to sen."  
"You've been keeping busy"  
She shrugs and then waves at some of the people who've noticed her. The song changes - and for what seems like the first time since she was hurt she feels like singing.

She taps her foot in time to their backing and begins to sing. Her voice is backed by her magic twining effortlessly with the builders. She feels their care and gratitude wrapping around her, and knows the rumours of Solas' visit have spread. Nemo gets up and walks over to the bridge, Isshin following and she looks at him, offers her hand. When he takes it she pulls him forward stepping onto empty air but they don't fall. 

He laughs disbelieving, watching as the bridge comes together underneath their feet; music, magic and regular hard work all working in tandem to shape stone and wood into the finished bridges that will connect their two countries. As the song crescendos, Nemo passes him a rope and he pulls it to reveal the silver-on-blue of his house, flying proudly in the breeze on his side of the bridge. He lifts Nemo up into his arms and she laughs and leans down to kiss him, her joy after days of quiet, flat silence makes him smile. A lapis bead hidden close to his heart glows a little brighter.

It's uncertain men and women, and a few brave children who cross the bridge - they are wearing their best, but on many of their faces it's clear they're aware their best is worn. Nemo passes unseen as the breeze, dropping coin purses into the pockets of those without any. Kuro is bouncing, excited as he goes with Nemo, Isshin, Emma and Wolf - the five of them, vhenhana as Nemo calls them. And the market opens up before them - Kuro is entranced by the sweets seller, whom Nemo greets as Ash, and when he offers her a rice ball, she takes it, eating it in one quick bite and her eyes widen "It's delicious! Would you share the recipe? And what do you think of my cake?"  
"It's so good," Kuro replies and then the two are swapping recipes even as the crowds drag the adults away.

"No harm will come to him," Nemo whispers in Sekiro's ear though they are not next to each other, "my life for his I swear it." Isshin sees Sekijo being escorted by some of the builders from the previous afternoon and waves, shortly both are ensconced with a group of Vidaens who offer tea and pull out carving projects. Nemo draws Emma and Sekiro with her, and hails one of the Healers she'd trained - Emma is quickly caught up in conversation, and Sekiro is nearly pulled in her wake but something holds him back - he looks for Nemo, and sees her moving in a flash of silver away from the crowds. 

He follows her up to the palace she calls home. She is aware of his presence but does not speak to him until they approach a carved door, having travelled a twisting path. "If you wish to enter with me, please leave your sword by the door. No weapons are carried in the room beyond." She suits her own actions to words, taking the two blades she carries and leaving them in a weapons holder. He does the same, and asks quietly about his arm - Nemo tells him that as it is part of him he should leave it - similar to how she is perfectly capable of killing a man with her bare hands.

He nods, and then follows her silently into the room - it is large, recesses carved into the walls and studded with stones - Nemo walks to the far end, to a pillar engraved with the symbol of her house in which are set eight stones, each glowing gently. She smiles, running her hand over them and tells Sekiro quietly "Should Isshin choose to grant me a stone it will live here when he dies."  
"What is this place?"

"It is the Hall of Memories," she makes a gesture and a heavily beaded ornament appears wrapping around her left arm, up and over her chest. "A tradition that began with the founding of Vidas - families or individuals wished to repay me for creating this place - I told them to find a stone or a bead, and to hold on to it while thinking about good things - about what they wished for me. Then at the next festival - there's one in winter and one in summer - they would gift it to me as part of the ceremony on the first night. When the individual passes beyond or the family line comes to an end I come here before each ceremony and I remove their bead and place it here. If you touch them they will speak the names of the ones who held them, and tell stories about who they were.”

"And these eight?"  
"Were soul mates to me – or lovers, sometimes both.”  
"If we gave you a bead?"  
Nemo gestured to the next panel which is about half full of stones of various colours and shapes, "It would go here, with the others that belong to members of my family, the ones whom I love as vhenhana."  
Sekiro nods, even as he struggles to comprehend the sheer number of stones – the lives that she’s seen, many of them from beginning to end. He settles in to wait as Nemo begins the work of embedding the beads and offers up his own silent prayers for the departed.

They return to the festival - Nemo encouraging Sekiro to join the sword-art contest. He laughs, and then goes and puts his name onto the sign-up sheets, wondering if he should ask Emma to join him for the doubles competition. Nemo moves on through the festival, and is pleased to see the people of Ashina laughing and talking with those of Vidas - even those who do not look the same.

She finds Dorian making miniature illusions for a crowd of children and sits with them a while adding her stories to his images. The atmosphere of the festival is relaxed and it pleases her to overhear all the many conversations, a farmer's wife from Ashina tells of her cherry orchard - and is inundated with offers to help with the harvest. Moving on she's wandering through the stalls when Nemo is hailed by her Healer friends - and converses with them for a time - Emma is smiling so brightly, and tells the others about how Nemo definitely proves that healers make the worst patients.

Eventually the sun begins to lower and the plaza fills with people, the stage set with musicians and an empty waiting chair. Nemo rises from where she ended up playing dice with Sekijo and his new friends and goes to take her place. A lone flutist plays a tune that summons silence in its wake. Nemo speaks the traditional words, then translates them for the Ashina. And she speaks of those gone, remembering their names to the crowd - those of Ashina are included, names on names and it brings those present comfort, to know that they are seen as equals worth acknowledgment. 

Then she states anew the tradition of giving beads - and how they are a freely given gift, and if they so choose they may come forth at the festival ceremonies to add them on. Several families from Vidas get up, and the beads are given - carved wood, delicate pearl, oily-metal, a whole range of worth, each precious. Nemo adds them to the now-visible-again ornament. 

She doesn't expect anyone from Ashina to stand but Kuro gets up and presents her with a bead the same pink as a sakura droplet. "thank you." he whispers as she accepts it. Then all eyes turn as Isshin rises, he walks through the crowd, and kneels before her. "Dearest." He offers her the lazulite bead he'd been keeping close since they'd begun their relationship. Nemo takes it, nearly gasps from the love and care that emanates from the stone, and when it is placed on her jewellery it shines brightly over her heart.

She kisses him then, in front of everyone and declares "Rejoice! For the new year, for new friends and loves. The winter is cold in the mountains but our hearths burn bright with hope!" The musicians strike up and dancing begins - Ashina folk are pulled in by enthusiastic Vidaens and the steps are simple enough that soon nearly the entire square is dancing. And Nemo laughs as Isshin swings her down and into the throng. Sake and wine flow freely once the children are ushered off to sleep - or as is more likely to watch from windows. 

Nemo dances with nearly everyone, trading partners throughout the night - she slow dances with Emma and tangos with Kardrossa. She helps some of Isshin's generals with the steps of the fast country dances, and brings sake to Sekijo, telling him that she'll let him be for now, but in the summer she would like to dance with him. He doesn't say no, and she considers that progress.

Eventually she finds Isshin again and dances with him out to the edge of the plaza, grabbing his hand she pulls him away from the crowd and they leave the dancers behind. He's a little awed by her place - though she tells him she'd had very little say in it by the end, if she’d had her way there would be no palace, but sometimes she must politic and it’s useful for that. They walk together, talking quietly and end up at the Hall of Memories, as there’s something she wants to show him – the wall and its glittering stones.

"There are two missing. Their beads shattered. When I granted them their final request their stones shattered into dust."  
He pulls her into a gentle hug, "I am sorry. I love you - for as long as I have, I will."  
"And that will be enough and more than enough." She smiles at him, "Come on, I’ll give you the long tour tomorrow."  
“May I have a moment, to would pay my respects?" She gives him a look but nods and leaves to wait outside. He bends down, brushing a finger over the glimmering purple-blue dust in the floor. “You are lucky she is merciful." Then he bows to the wall, "I love her." The stones twinkle brighter in response.

They leave the hall of remembrance behind and she shows him to her room - it's so large, the decor is unexpectedly vivid - electrum and violet. The bed's huge and there's several bookcases - a door leads to a large room (it’s actually a very long hallway that ends in a room where her fanciest dresses that take up a lot of space are stored) full of outfits - and jewellery. Another door leads to a nearly pure white, eye-strainingly so, bathroom. The bath is made of a solid block of marble that sits on brass feet. She laughs at the look on his face, and tugs him into the walk in robe.

There are a couple of large mirrors in the space – and hundreds of outfits. He watches as Nemo carefully removes the beads and places them on a specially-made stand. She leans up to kiss his cheek, “Beautiful man.”  
“Hardly.”  
“Oh?” She gestures at the mirror even as magic spills from her hands like water.  
There’s a stranger with his face standing in the mirror, his outfit has changed, it’s now much more in the style of her people, there’s a circlet in silver and blue that rests on his brow. She’s smiling as she stands next to him “Gorgeous. Watch.”

The magic she calls on next tightens skin, reducing the lines on his face though those made by laughter linger at the corners of his eyes. His hair grows back, thick and dark like it used to be and he looks the age he feels rather than the age he is. “If you want this, you can have it,” she says, “it’s an easy enough illusion much like the one I use on my scars.”  
“Would you prefer me to look like this?”  
“It’s your decision – I love you regardless, and will remind you that you haven’t looked like this yet.”  
He thinks on it, “perhaps a compromise?”   
She takes his hand, “think on what you wish for, I’ll supply the magic to make it so.”  
His hair shifts back to silver-white though it doesn’t recede and some of the lines on his face deepen. The rest of his form doesn’t need to change, one of the benefits of retaining an active lifestyle but he remembers the finery he used to wear and is pleased when the outfit she had chosen gives way to formal embroidered robes. 

The circlet still sits atop his head and he reaches up for it, “I’m not sure I like this though.” And it’s only because he’s watching her in the mirror that he sees sorrow pass over her face, hidden fast away and she smiles at him “Oh, that’s alright, here I’ll take it.” Nemo reaches up to remove it and he grabs her hand “What aren’t you telling me Nemo?”  
She shakes him off and gently takes the circlet, holding it in her hands as her thumbs trace the patterns inset in it. “Jewellery like this is commonplace in Vidas. It’s simple, really, as far as such things go – but if you don’t like it, that’s fine.”  
“That’s not an answer, dear.”  
She shrugs, “It’s nothing. By the way, I think these robes are gorgeous. The colour suits you.”  
“Nemo!” He cuts off her rambling and then adds softer, “stubborn love, tell me.”

For a long moment he thinks she won’t answer him. “I made it for you, but as you don’t like it, that’s fine.”  
“You made it for me? Why?”  
He can feel the tension in her, that she’s not withdrawn completely is somewhat of a miracle to him.  
“Because I love you,” she bites out the words, choosing a lesser truth to tell him, “Because I like making things, and I thought of you and made this.” She looks at the circlet again, unwilling to meet his eyes, “It’s fine that you don’t like it, crowns and such are not everyone’s thing.”  
“I’ve never had one before.”

“You’ve seen mine,” she replies, “well the one that is the oldest, the most formal and considered to be part of my House’s jewels.” Isshin remembers it, and the circumstances she wore it in well. When he looks back at himself in the mirror she vanishes the circlet, “I think I like this look.” He says and she smiles again.  
“Easily done and done,” she ties the illusion in with magic and will – far past the first days when she’d needed a focus for it to sit on. “If you change your mind, let me know – it’s simple enough to alter.”  
“Thank you,” he replies and kisses her cheek.

"Anyway," she says taking one hand in hers, the other on the wall, where she touches it, he can see an outline of a door “I have no key for this - it's a magical door. Because I showed it to you like this you'll always be able to find it again." She explains as she pushes open the wall-door and tugs him forward.

The space is set out similarly to his own - a large middle area has the slightly padded flooring that is perfect for sparring on. Then there's a small step up running around the outside of that area - directly opposite the door is a deep alcove filled with bookcases that go from floor to ceiling. There's what appears to be a sunken couch in the middle of them, and a reading lamp at its corner. 

The bathing area is to the right - a huge soaking tub set into the floor is full of clear water, fed by a constantly refreshing stream that’s piped in from outside, and a rain-shower big enough that they'd both fit easily under the spray. When he takes a closer look he discovers the commode behind the back wall of the shower - the wall wraps around high enough to grant privacy. The tiling in the room is a slate-grey with little mosaic details in a paler silver. 

Opposite that is another alcove with a bed, which is made from a dark red-brown wood, sturdy and simple with a dark-blue quilt that's embroidered with tiny glinting stars. At the foot of the bed is a large chest made from the same kind of wood. Two stuffed toy animals - bears, sit on top of it. They appear to be well loved. There's a rack for swords and another for armour and a small cool-storage for keeping food and drink.

The walls are painted a pale blue-grey, the wall behind the bed has a mural of white-ice mountains over a deep aqua ocean. The ceiling seems to be enchanted to reflect a cloudy sky, he's not sure where the light sources are but it feels like such a comfortable space. 

He turns to see Nemo leaning by the door watching him with a small smile though her eyes are distant and sad. He crosses over to her, and draws her into a hug - wondering what put that look in her eyes. "Maybe i'll tell you but not today." she tells him, replying to his soft inquiry. So he picks her up and carries her to the bed, then kneels in front of her. "Do you want me here?" he asks because maybe she doesn't - this could be rushing things and if it'll help, he'll go. She looks up startled, takes his hand, drops all the barriers she keeps up and tells him "I want you here, with me." the truth of the statement rings through his bones.   
"Alright. I'm here. What can I do - let me take care of you."  
She smiles, a truer one at that "dearest. You help by being here." 

He gives her the look that deserves; stands and pulls her up into his arms again. Her yelp when she lands in the water of her bath is sweet. She gets herself upright and shouts, "I hadn't heated the water! You - " he presumes she's cursing as she's changed language again, spluttering at him, but there's life in her eyes that had been missing. She moves over to the edge of the bath, running her hand over the carvings - the water soon begins to give off curls of steam. Nemo lifts herself up, water streaming off of her, her clothing clinging in a way that is incredibly attractive, more so because she doesn't seem to realise. She stands on the seat-step, and peels herself out of the wet dress, as she does so she tells him "you best also be naked and in this tub by the time I get out of this dress."  
"Or what?"  
Nemo glances over at him as she bends her arms to get to the buttons at the back of her dress and smiles "look up."  
He does and sees that the clouds in the sky-roof have swirled dark like they're about to... the cold rain hits him in the face and Nemo laughs at his swearing, having finished removing her dress while he was distracted. He glares at her, but when she waves her hand and the rain becomes a miniature blizzard he gives in. 

The moment he joins her, the indoor storm clouds vanish back into the ceiling and there's no trace of the snow or water on the floor. He'd do just about anything to have put the light back in her eyes - the small discomfort of the freezing cold well worth it. And she sits beside him, leaning in as he wraps an arm around her and little by little tension he'd not even noticed seeps out of her. He's playing with her hair as she half-dozes; "you can take it down, if you like." she tells him, turning away to provide him easier access. He finds the pins and unwinds the long, long plait that she'd turned into a crown. There's so much of it and she laughs when he tells her so, "I told you, it's shorter now than I used to keep it. Here," she passes her hand over the braid and it undoes itself.

"How do you do that?" he asks,  
"Magic - in this specific instance it's a modified wind-based magic that undoes the braid much faster than I can do by hand. You know, I think you'd probably be able to learn it."  
"What makes you think that?" while the idea is intriguing he feels like  
"if the rest of that thought is you're too old I will be forced to take drastic action."  
"Nemo..."  
"Sorry, love." she breathes a few times - counting the pattern she finds the most calming and he strokes his hand through her hair, winding it through his fingers  
"Nothing to be sorry for."  
She shrugs, "it's easier to hear when we're skin to skin like this. It's still rude of me to do so though." He pulls her more firmly against him, wrapping an arm tight around her and lets his thoughts fill with how much he loves her. She smiles, "thank you."

Eventually they get out of the bath - "I didn't think - your hair..." he says watching it drip on the tiles and Nemo laughs "dearest, magic." she reminds him warm air wraps around them both, leaving them dry and warm - though it does tangle her hair. "That's the unfortunate downside she says, her face half hidden by the hair that's been blown every which way. "I'll brush it out for you," he offers having seen a brush on the small cabinet by the shower.  
"I'd appreciate that very much."  
"Go sit on the bed, it should be enough height."  
She nods and does so, the violet hair still nearly reaches the floor "tell me if I hurt you," he asks beginning his attempts with detangling.  
“As you wish," it's so nice, to let herself be taken care of. He ends up pulling a little hard a few times, but she keeps her word and lets him know.

Once it's detangled he brushes it for the sake of doing so, and decides to chance a question "how long was it before?"  
"It trailed a few inches on the ground behind me when I stood." she responds "you're very good at this."  
"My first wife, her hair was nearly as long as yours is now. She told me if I wanted to see it down I had to help her with it."  
"A sensible lady." Nemo replies, "Once it gets to knee length or longer it really does become unwieldy for one person."  
"Shall I braid it again for you?"  
"Mmm, if you would be so kind, perhaps just a loose braid."  
After he's done, she tells him "Stay with me," and it's a request easily honoured. When they're lying down, he reaches and pulls her close so that she's cuddled into him and he can stroke her back - despite or perhaps because of the scars he's noticed that it's a surefire way to get her to relax. 

The next morning Nemo gets up early and goes to find Kuro – it’s easy enough to do so, he’s made himself some friends, or more likely been adopted by the small gaggle of children around his age. Nemo recognises the ringleader as Jamie – a descendant many times over of the first Cassandra she’d met. One of the other girls, who is clearly from Ashina, looks up and Nemo sees Mahiro’s eyes in her face. She kneels down, opens her arms and ends up with her friend’s daughter, with Ehi, wrapped so tightly around her. “I’m sorry.” She tells her, the words inadequate.   
“He chose it.”  
“He loved you too. He was always so happy, showing off the letters you wrote him…”  
When Ehi lets go, Nemo smiles at the group of children “I was wondering if Kuro would like to see my library – you’d all be welcome to come along and find yourself some books for the quiet afternoons of the festival.” Kuro lights up, as do the other children, Ehi sneaks her hand into Nemo’s and walks along with her. 

The library is stunning, the Vidaen children run to find the books they want, and Nemo shows Kuro, Ehi and some of the other Ashina children a shelf full of stories that have been transcribed for them – fiction and non-fiction both. She is then hugged by a lot of grateful children who then start looking through the books. Kuro runs his hand along the spine of a series of short stories and then asks “Nemo, will you teach us how to read your language?”  
“Of course – in fact after the titheweek I was thinking about trying to set up a cultural exchange – in the mornings teachers from Vidas would offer lessons in language and history and so on, then in the afternoon any teachers from Ashina could do the same for those of Vidas who wished to learn.”  
“That sounds amazing. If there is anything I can do to assist you,” he’s drawn himself up like the lord he is and Nemo smiles “I will let you know. For now why don’t you pick out a book or two?”

That afternoon in the quiet time, Nemo is giving Isshin the long tour – they’ve just entered the main hall, the one that Nemo will call a throne room when she’s dead ten years, when they are approached by a group – “Councillors, I am a person,” she greets them  
“We are all free,” they respond in near unison.   
“What can I do for you on this day?” she asks, and Isshin watches the casual attitude she’s had with him fall away into formality – not cold but still. “We represent the people of Vidas – we come from all the councils in the land.”

The spokesperson is a Qunari, her horns curl around themselves in a spiral. “We have asked the peoples and they have spoken their will.”  
“What is the will of the people of Vidas?”  
“They have asked that the titheweek of Winter and also of Spring be given to the people of Ashina. That we may welcome our neighbours by helping them rebuild their homes, to assist in their fields and to see them thrive.”

Nemo bows, “This is a kind thing that the people have asked, and I am proud of Vidas for remembering to look outside themselves. It shall be done and done, I will announce it to the assembly one the final day.”  
Isshin steps forward and bows as well to the gathered councillors, “The people of Vidas are welcoming and their kindness knows no bounds. Thank you, myself and those who are the people of my land are grateful.”   
Herah inclines her head to them, “You are most welcome Lord Ashina.”

As the sun sets and the stars begin to glimmer, Nemo and Isshin watch the sword-art competition, and she’s especially pleased to see that not only Wolf but also Kawarada and several of the other Ashina samurai have signed up. Their styles are so different from those of Vidas which has drawn them a lot of positive attention. And the types of weapons are also starting conversations – the advantages of each being discussed and Nemo thinks that the next festival may see a mix of teams in the doubles.

The fire-aligned mages decide to begin their own impromptu competition to create pictures and stories with the fire. There’s a whole host of different, beautiful scenes and animals. Bernard’s dragon is especially impressive; the smith mage uses smoke with his flame to suggest the dragon flying out from a mountain. The children pretend to run away as it chases them, it comes right up to Nemo and roars – she smiles and blows a stream of air which dissolves the dragon into what seems like a thousand flower petals swirling in the breeze and for a moment they burn in a hundred different colours. She wills them together, into a mighty sakura tree dripping with flame-blossoms, that burn with white hearts. Bernard bows to her and she returns the gesture – the tree bursts into thousands of sparks and one of the other mages channels them, into a soaring eagle and the competition continues on. Eventually the fire becomes fireworks – bright and loud and the signal to the younglings that it’s time for bed.

The next day Nemo is out, catching up with some friends from the mages guild among others when suddenly she’s being hugged. She embraces the youngling, and then their presence registers “Divine Child?”  
“Lady Nemo.” The child looks happier; her eyes are bright and sparkling with joy. “Did I surprise you?”  
“You did indeed! It is so good to see you.”  
“Wolf told me what had happened, and I asked to come with him – my friends will be alright without me for a while. Are you recovered?”  
“I am. Thank you, for your concern. Welcome to my home, I hope you have fun.”  
“I will! I met Kuro and his friends earlier – we are going to see if we can be taste testers for the cooking competitions.”   
Nemo laughs, and bids farewell to her friends “I shall come with you as well if you don’t mind. Taste testing sounds like an amazing idea.”

Isshin meanwhile is talking with Emma and Wolf – and as Nemo had informed her brother gave them Hirata estate to have as their own. That it could be rebuilt and be a place of laughter and love. He also offers the title – Wolf refuses but Emma accepts. The two of them decide to make Hirata a place where those who have no other family can go. Emma thinks of Ehi, Wolf of Kuro and the Divine Child – this is something that they can do, give children a chance to grow up in a place where they’re safe. Where they won’t go hungry and will have support in whatever paths they wish to take. 

On the last day of the festival there’s another shorter ceremony – and at this one Nemo announces the decision of the council, that the Winter and Spring titheweeks will be dedicate to helping Ashina rebuild and thrive. That final night of celebration will go down in history as being one of the most joyous events in Vidas’ history. Nemo helps a very drunk lord of Ashina back to her rooms – the revelry had been intense, even for how these things usually went. And she’d noticed two drinks in how much her love was consuming and decided (wisely) to make sure she kept her own inebriation down to a pleasant buzz, and then let that fade as the moon reached its height. She gets them inside and settled, Isshin is out of it pretty quickly, helped along by Nemo’s hand weaving slow soothing magic as she strokes his hair. Once he’s asleep she performs the magical equivalent of her hangover cure so that he won’t wake up grumpy, places a kiss to his temple and dims the lights.

The next week sees a stream of people coming and going across the bridges – and slowly the houses that were burnt out husks take on shape. The woodworkers and clothmakers have plenty to do with creating new furniture for people, masons work stone, smiths use metal and those without the needed skills lift and carry and do the thousand little things.  
Nemo and some of her closest friends, including Leonidas who is a descendant of Thorn – who had been her commander in the first Clone Wars she'd lived through, head up to Hirata estate to help Wolf and Emma. The river is beautiful, the flowers lush and the bones of many of the buildings are still intact. Leonidas is an earth-aligned mage, well able to restore life to the burned wood – to encourage it back to its original strength. He also restores the bamboo forest to its full glory. Nemo uses her own magic to make a better path between Hirata and Ashina proper and works with the others to make it feel more like a home. 

At the end of the week most of Hirata is restored – and Nemo watches with a quiet private joy as her brother and (hopefully someday soon her sister) Emma welcome Kuro, and the Child (the group that adopted her has taken to calling her Ine but she’s still not yet decided for herself a name) and then their looks of realisation as they realise that the new friends that Kuro and Ine made have no intention of staying behind and Hirata is full of the sounds of laughter and joy. 

Ashina too is now in a much better state and Isshin offers the use of the bottom levels of the castle for the dual lessons that Nemo had discussed with Kuro and him previously. The call goes out for teachers on both sides, and times are communicated throughout – lessons of Vidas in the mornings, Ashina in the afternoon and they will repeat the same lessons in a pattern for the next month or so to ensure everyone who wants a chance to learn may have it.

The first class is quite full – a whole range of ages and experiences gathered together. Isshin sits at the back and waits, a smile on his face as he watches, Nemo had been kind enough to provide him a glamour so that his presence doesn’t disturb the others because he’s still Lord of Ashina regardless of their new location. He recognises the teacher as Herah – the councillor, and she introduces herself twice over. “Today’s lesson will focus on introductions – what you just heard was the formal introductions used in official meetings.” She breaks down how to pronounce each section – the changes to the pattern depending on one’s name, titles and pronouns. 

It’s fascinating and by the end of the class most of the students can greet one another, Isshin thinks that it says something very poignant about Nemo that to greet someone casually you say “I am a person” and the reply is “We are all free”. That afternoon they change around – Junri’s older sister, Reimu is one of those teaching history – and Nemo, much like Isshin is using a glamour to hide out in the back of the class. She’s pleased to see how enthusiastic her people are to learn about their new neighbours.

As the days turn into weeks a balance is struck slowly between the two nations. The trees begin to blossom and the weather warm. Lessons continue, and free from the constraint of war, many Ashina folk have returned to farming, to crafting and apprentices are taken up in both lands regardless of their origin. As the cultures blend and mingle, Kanae and Herah begin a slow courtship that makes Nemo’s heart pleased – she is fond of her three remaining squad mates, and their finding happiness increases hers tenfold.

The people of Vidas are as good as their word, when the Spring titheweek comes, they focus firstly on the farms and lands of Ashina. The help is welcome and sees a good planting season. Nemo goes out too – the council keeps trying to exempt her from the tithe-week but she enjoys helping, there’s something massively soothing about tilling soil, about making things grow.

A few days after the tithe week Nemo and Isshin are taking a lazy day – an indulgence they can afford. Isshin goes out to catch up with the friends he’d made for lunch, while Nemo tells him she plans to do nothing but laze in her sanctuary and read all day. He’s greeted cheerfully and no sooner is he seated but a cup of sake appears, the waitress giving him a friendly smile.

They converse easily and then Leonidas calls for everyone’s attention, showing off the delicate flower crown he’d made – silvery metal that’s shaped like stems join together a variety of translucent colourful flowers. Bernard raises an eyebrow and whistles “You’re ready to get that serious?”  
“Yes. Do you think it suits Ash?”  
They are all reassurance and smiles, Isshin tells him that it’s lovely and then asks about the customs attached. The looks he gets – it’s not a secret that he and Nemo are together, but she’s well beloved by all her people and they’re immensely pleased about his asking on their courting customs.

“It’s all about creation and customisation,” Leonidas explains running his hands gently over the crown, “usually courting gifts are adornments – scarves, shawls, clothing, jewellery and the like. For regular gifting you could go to a jeweller and buy a nice necklace, or pick up a shawl from a stall at the markets.”   
“But for serious courting, that needs creation and customisation – the type of adornment matters as well, but less so,” interjects Kardrossa.  
Bernard picks up the explanation, “Hand-made or commissioned one-off pieces indicate a serious desire to pursue the relationship, and the level of work/time put in can level the gift to be a proposal without the question; acceptance of the gift then indicates a willingness to receive that question.”

Kardrossa chimes in again, “It’s a statement of intent - my wife made me this ring before I’d even thought about marriage.” The ring in question is elegant tri-braided metal with a cabochon deep blue stone set in its middle. “I accepted and then wove the veil she wore on our wedding day.”  
Isshin takes this all in, “you said before that the differing items can hold different meanings?”  
“Yes, over the years it happened that there’s more significance placed on rings and circlets in terms of jewellery. And full outfits over shawls/scarves. ” Leonidas replies with a smile.   
Bernard adds, “A handmade circlet like the one Leonidas has commissioned is definitely tantamount to the proposal. If it was a necklace, it would be implying a commitment to the relationship without extra significance. Unless your partner has asked specifically for a certain kind of thing, then that becomes the highest level of gift.”

He remembers the look of sadness that Nemo had hidden when he’d expressed dislike of the circlet she’d made him, and has to take a drink to control sudden, powerful anger. The things she does not speak of drive him to utter distraction, and potential insanity. Shortly after he takes his leave to knowing smiles and offers of names for good craftspeople if he needs them, Kardrossa tells him she’d be happy to help. He waves them off good humouredly and with thanks.

As she had said, Nemo is in her sanctuary – laying sprawled over the sunken couch and reading. He has no qualms about draping himself over her like an overgrown housecat and she tilts her head.  
“You’re back sooner than you said?”  
“I had an enlightening conversation.”  
Nemo raises an eyebrow, slides a bookmark into place and then places the book on the table at the centre of the couches. “Would you tell me about it?” she asks  
“I learned about Vidaen courting customs today, Leonidas was showing off the crown he’d had made, it was a lovely piece of work.”  
“Oh, he and Ash must be getting serious, that’s wonderful.”  
“One of the things I learned,” and something in his tone sets Nemo a little on edge, “was that the kind of jewellery or gift and the effort put into it has significant meanings attached.”  
Her eyes widen, even as she nods “yes, some bright spark years ago came up with the phrase “creation and customisation” and it’s been popular among craftspeople ever since.”  
“I found the meanings behind the gifts to be… quite interesting.”  
“Oh?” she knows. She knows where this is going but her heart is beating double time and so she strives for a light unconcerned tone.

“Did you keep it?”  
“Keep what, love?”  
His full weight is suddenly on top of her, holding her immobile, and he growls “the circlet you gave me that evening.”  
“The one you didn’t like?” she attempts a shrug, the gesture made awkward by their position, “it’s around.”  
“What does a handmade circlet signify in Vidaen culture Nemo?” his voice drops low, his lips by her ear.  
She bites her lip, “you already know.”  
“I want to hear you tell me. And I want it back.”

She shifts against him, pushing up and then twists herself around so that they’re face-to-face, shuddering a little as his hand comes up to wind itself into her hair.   
“Tell me what it means, Nemo.” He repeats.   
Her eyes close briefly, and she opens them, meets his gaze and says “A handmade circlet indicates a deep commitment to the relationship and openness to marriage if the person wishes to ask. The level of work I put into the creation of that circlet would have been considered a straight up proposal by most Vidaens.”  
“When did you make it?”  
“It’s not my best work. I made it while you all slept, when I was bed-bound after the incident with the mortal blade.”

He tugs her hair, unhappy with the dismissal of her crafting. “I want it back, Nemo.”  
Her eyes slip away from the look on his face, “I’ll make you a new one, see if I can come up with something you’d like better.”  
“No.” Isshin rumbles, “You will get me that same one back or so help me I will...”  
Something dangerous glitters in her eyes, she brings a finger up and places it across his lips, “Don’t say something you’ll have cause to regret love.” She feels his aborted gesture, reaching for the sword he’s not carrying and her eyebrows go up.   
“Oh that’s how you want to play this…” she breathes, and calling on her magic pushes. Suddenly they’re standing on either side of the couches, and the curl of her lips is close to a snarl “If you want it back so bad I guess you’ll just have to do something about it then.”

Isshin’s eyes narrow, he calls his sword to him, Nemo had enchanted it to do so shortly after the winter festival, and moves, chasing after her. She throws knives at him as she runs – which is rude Nemo he tells her as he deflects them. She just smirks and keeps moving away, there’s no sword in her hands and when he gets close enough to try for a swing she blocks it on her arm. It doesn’t cut, and the shimmering beneath her skin resolves into dragon scales.

There’s something unfathomable in her eyes as she holds steady beneath the weight of his sword, “you can only harm me if I let you,” she tells him. “Draw your sword, Nemo.” He replies, and she laughs wild and fey and deadly. “Maybe I will.” She steps back, twice, to be out of range, “but maybe I don’t need to.” He’s confused and her lips twist up, “Give me your sword Isshin,” she says holding out a hand, and he’s taken a step forward beginning to reach out before he catches himself.  
“What?” he whispers, and the smile she’s wearing doesn’t reach her eyes, “Give me your sword.” This time the demand slams into him and he has to dig deep to resist it.

“Oh love, you always seem to make things difficult.” She coos quietly, her hand is still calmly outstretched, “your sword, darling?”  
“Pot, kettle.” He grits out between his teeth, having dropped to one knee to stop himself from taking that final step forward. His hand is shaking on his sword’s grip.   
“You know, there are very, very few people who could resist me like you are right now. It’s part of why I love you.” She could make him do it – but to do so would be a sundering of the choice she keeps making to stay human. So Nemo gestures with her hand, at once stopping the compulsion and summoning Kaedne.  
“I thought it was for my swordplay. Or maybe my charm.” He tries for light-hearted and is rewarded by a delicate snort of laughter. 

She gestures with her sword in a come-at-me way, and he obliges. They fall into patterns that have grown familiar and yet still hold surprises. Nemo’s sticking almost purely to defence, a decision she made subconsciously and one that makes fighting her even more of a challenge. Isshin pulls out Dragon Force – he rarely does when they’re fighting in smaller areas but he’s determined and while she manages to dodge the first two waves, the third unsteadies her, knocking her down.

He’s on her fast enough that she’s stuck, and he’s not gentle either – her hand will bruise from how he made her let go of her sword. If not for the still-present scales at her neck his sword would be far too close to her jugular for comfort. His knee is digging into her breastbone as he tells her “Give me back my crown, lady mine.”  
“Alright. Alright. Let me up, it’s easier to summon sitting straight.”

He moves just far enough that she can sit, before crowding back into her space, making it clear he’s not going anywhere. It’s easy to have the circlet she’d made in her hands, fingers brush over the raised patterns that speak of endless-love and hope-for-future, and joy-that-lasts. “I can do better than this,” she repeats as he reaches for it, tugging it out of her hands. She has to make a deliberate effort to let go, her fingers curling around the silver like it’s her heart. He traces the symbols like she did – his eyes widen because she’d imbued them with enough emotion that anyone who directly touched them would feel it.

It settles over his hair like he was always meant to wear it – and now that he’s thinking on it, he can feel the love and care emanating out and wrapping around him. Nemo’s still looking down at her hands, so he moves close again, taking her hands in his. “Look at me,” he asks, “Nemo…”   
She tilts her head and glances at him, and there’s a fine tremble in her hands, the right already swelling with bruising.   
“Marry me?” it’s only words, only a question, but he’s never wanted anything more. “I’ll commission you something nice, but say you’ll spend the rest of my days with me.” He raises both hands to his lips, and she can feel his not-quite-apology for the damage in his kiss.

Her hands are still shaking but her voice is steady and full of love, “ _Salierath_ , of course I will.”  
“That word, you’ve used it before.”  
“Yes. Do you remember what you’d done when I said it?”  
“It was when I gave you…” He trails off in sudden realisation and she picks up the sentence.  
“You gave me your robe that you’d spent several hours customising so that it would fit me…” With the context of the customs of Vidas that simple gift takes on so much more significance and he remembers just how taken aback she had been by what he’d done. “What does it mean, Nemo?”  
She smiles bright and brilliant, “it doesn’t translate well – it’s used in context to refer to a spouse and as an endearment. The closest literal translation is my soul’s true love.”   
“ _Salierath_ ” he tries – and knows the pronunciation is a little off, but she can’t help but lean in and kiss him. He kisses her back with all the love he holds for her and it warms her, from head to toe.

“Why didn’t you explain about the proposal?” Isshin asked.  
“Isshin. I am technically higher in rank, as well as… I can manipulate people with magic and glamours, and I needed you to choose this and to keep wanting to choose it because it’d be so easy to let myself just make you think you love me. I don’t want to be that person though.”  
"You're a good person, Nemo. I love you." He replies and then offers “How about we go over to Ashina, I'm sure the cooks at the castle would love to make us some dinner.”  
Nemo nods in agreement then warps them both across the entire distance to his rooms so that they’re seated on the bed. “Faster this way. Food’s good.” She murmurs.   
He can’t help but laugh, “So it is, I’ll be back soon love.”

When he returns with a full platter of dinner and dessert he finds her wearing the robe he’d altered, weaving beads onto wire into a complex and elegant piece of jewellery. She smiles at him, “that smells delicious.”  
“I mentioned it was for the two of us and nearly ended up with twenty courses.” He sets the platter down between them and takes off the covers. “Oh my.” Nemo’s eyes are reverently wide on the reveal of – Isshin’s not sure what it is – “I guess there’s been a lot of colluding among the chefs,” she says taking the plate with a beautifully layered lasagne. The sound of pleasure she makes after her first bite raises Isshin’s eyebrows. “That good?”  
“Yes. No you’re not having any of this. I may be persuaded to split the desserts though.”

True to her word Nemo polishes off all the lasagne and smiles “that was wonderful.”  
“You were hungry,” Isshin’s still eating and Nemo thinks for a moment before replying “I was so caught up in my book that I might have forgotten lunch. That would explain it.”  
“Do that again and I will tell Emma,” he threatens and Nemo shakes her head, and looks over the desserts – there’s fresh fruit, chocolate swirled meringues with shards of toffee sticking up from them, and the centrepiece is a miniature fruit cake with proper fondant icing. She cuts a small piece of the cake with a knife and pops it in her mouth. The rich heady flavour of brandy soaked cake and fruit makes her smile. She shifts the plates so that one is closest to her which makes Isshin shake his head, “I thought we were sharing these,” he says, even as he takes one of the meringues.  
“We are,” Nemo replies and offered him a bite of cake. “I’m still allowed to have favourites though.”

“That’s good.” He says of the cake.  
“It was my grandma’s recipe. I taught it to some of the first settlers of Vidas and it quickly became a favourite. Possibly because of the liberal use of brandy.” Nemo takes another bite of the cake. When she moves to grab a meringue, her hand collides with Isshin’s “oh look, dessert.” He says and kisses her fingers – distracting her so that he can get the meringue with the choicest toffee shard.   
Nemo’s brows go up and she carefully moves the platter up out of the way as he puts the shard in his mouth, she leans in and kisses him, breaking off half of it with her teeth. She moves back, and enjoys her prize, the sugar melting on her tongue. “Cheating.” He complains at her with a smile in his eyes.  
“All’s fair in love, war and dessert.” She replies and her eyes are dancing again. Between the two of them they finish the desserts off with laughter and appreciation. When he leans in and kisses her, she tastes like the toffee, sweet enough to drown in. Isshin lets the love he has for her echo through his thoughts, knowing that she’ll pick up on it. She breaks the kiss, “I love you too,” she tells him with a smile. “Thank you.”

Having removed the platter – sent it back to the kitchen with a compliment, a bonus and a wave of her hand, Nemo moves so that she’s sitting in Isshin’s lap and feels the last of her anxiety drain away in response to their closeness. Isshin asks what she was working on and so she resummons the wire and beads – shows him how she makes a woven bracelet, the beads are a glorious rainbow of coloured glass that glint in the light. His fingers flex like he wants to try it and Nemo laughs, summons more wire, thinner gauge than what she’s working with – she cheats and warms her hands with magic to enable her to work with the thicker metal and get it shaped correctly.

She guides him in how to twist the wires into a simple plait – how to place the beads on without creating too many large gaps in the weave and then lets him go at it. He’s drawn to the beads in blended green and pink, semi-precious opaque stones even as Nemo continues to work with her rainbow themed glass. They work together mostly in comfortable silence for a while as the world settles into night. Nemo’s a fast worker and has completed five of the cuff like bracelets in the time it has taken Isshin to finish his single piece – which is long enough to be a necklace. She takes it from him when he’s done, uses fire magic to meld the ends of the wire and adds a clasp to it for him.

Nemo vanishes her work and hands the necklace back to Isshin who sets it aside; he’ll give it to Emma later – he realised about three inches into his work that he was thinking of her when he’d started adding beads. She’s moved to next to him, and is watching him emotions in her eyes that he can’t quite place. He turns to her, asks “Can I kiss you?”  
“Of course.” She replies and so he shifts, trapping Nemo beneath him and presses a gentle kiss to her lips. The look in his eyes warms her, and she tells him “that first night we spent together, I felt like being here, with you was safe. That it was home and love and warmth. I decided then that short of harming my dear Kuro there was nothing I wouldn’t do, no end I wouldn’t go to in order to see you happy.”  
Isshin’s speechless, Nemo has a way with words that’s both poetic and honest and he leans in so their foreheads are touching and their lips are a breath apart. “I love you,” he whispers, and she smiles lifting herself up just enough to close that gap she kisses him, warmth that quickly catches and sparks into true heat.

Later, she turns to him and says “We shouldn’t tell people straight away.”  
“Why not?”  
“We’re the respective rulers of two nations who love us. If we want any kind of say in what our wedding looks like we’ll need to have the outline planned before everyone else catches on.”  
“As you wish, my love.”


	8. Summer Weddings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> moved in to new unit [X]  
> got internet reconnected [X]  
> finished this story [X]
> 
> holy shit it's done. thanks for the love, the support and the patience.
> 
> imma keep working at a potential new chapter for my time travel Sekiro fic, as well as playing around with some other ideas. if you want to chat about the game, about fic, about anything at all (or send me prompts) my tumblr is the same username as here :D
> 
> (we're not mentioning the 3.5 chapters of an even more indulgent sequel to this. nope.)
> 
> brushing up against the M rating in this one also [ this ](https://soundcloud.com/jahaliel/by-love) is the song from the wedding.

Nemo goes up to Hirata the next day – though both Emma and she are busier now than before they still make time for tea together at least twice a week. The estate is thriving, and it’s such a beautiful place, Nemo always enjoys walking up to it. The hydrangeas are especially gorgeous, and the little sakura sapling that they planted in the courtyard has grown taller and is covered in pale pink and white blossoms.

“Nemo!” comes a cry from many voices. She’s been spotted by the group of younglings that Emma and Wolf are looking after – privately Nemo thinks that they will formally adopt several of them - Kuro as a certainty. The group is laughing as they run towards Nemo, she kneels down and opens her arms, rocks back as several small bodies slam into her but she steadies herself and wraps them in a hug. It’s been quite a few minutes of Nemo catching up with the children when Emma appears “Nemo, I was wondering if you’d forgotten tea?”  
“Of course not, Emma. As you can see I am merely a little encumbered.”

The children take that as their cue to bid farewell and run off down to the river. Nemo stands, brushing off her skirts and smiles at Emma “How are things?”  
“Things are good. Come on, I’ve purchased a new blend of tea.”  
They go inside, arm in arm chatting about life and the children – Nemo brings out the biscuits she’d baked and brought with her as Emma pours the tea.

“So, anything exciting happen recently Nemo?” Emma asks as they drink – the tea blend is beautifully delicate, pear and jasmine scents rising from their cups. “Why yes,” she smiles at her friend “Isshin proposed.” Nemo says it in a very matter-of-fact way and watches as Emma takes a second to process it – then laughs as Emma shrieks and comes over to hug her. “That makes two of us with such news.” Emma tells her with her own wide grin and Nemo’s eyes widen with glee “Wolf?”

“Yes! Look,” she offers her hand, Nemo takes it and admires the delicate white-metal ring that graces her third finger. It’s set with a gorgeous pear-cut purple spinel, and Nemo recognises the workmanship as being one of Kia’s pieces – the jeweller who makes the knife-pins that she – and Emma now as well, wear in their hair. “It’s gorgeous, my brother has good taste.” She tells her friend-soon-to-be-sister. 

They settle back for another cup of tea and Nemo explains that for now she’s only telling family – maybe a few close friends over the next while because if they don’t have a firm idea about what they want for the wedding they’ll end up with some sort of ridiculous extravaganza. Emma nods “I’ll not say anything. Will you be commissioning a new dress?”  
“I’ll probably make it myself; it’s been a while since I dabbled in design and dressmaking. I’m still thinking on designs. Yourself?”  
Emma shrugs “I don’t know.”  
Nemo raises an eyebrow “When were you thinking about the ceremony? Because I’d be honoured to make you your dress.”

Nemo promises to sketch out some designs for her friend, and then Wolf comes up from the river and Nemo hugs him close, and congratulates him. “I’m so proud of you, brother.”  
“Thank you.” There’s an understanding between them, and those few words convey far more. “And congratulations back, I hope that you are happy.”  
“I will be. I had suggested to Emma perhaps we could both get married at the Summer festival – third and fourth days. Isshin and I won’t be announcing our engagement until much closer to the time to avoid it turning into a spectacle. And for you and Emma – whatever you desire I will make it happen for you.”  
“Nemo.” He smiles “Thank you.”  
“Take care of her.”  
“Always.” 

Nemo takes her leave shortly after – stops by the castle to check how the lessons are going – there are still plenty of interested faces and it makes Nemo so pleased this sharing of cultures. When she walks back to Vidas she wonders if there’s someone she can ask about Ashina marriages – it would be nice to be able to include things from both of their heritages.

(Turns out there’s sake involved. Nemo is laughing -mostly on the inside so hard about this – of course sake is involved. Fortunately Reimu doesn’t take offense and also provides her with some ideas for outfit designs – she’ll use them for Emma and maybe a little for herself.)

She’s late home that night – the sidetrip to speak with Reimu had the flow on effect of her meetings with some of the councillors running over time and then Nemo had to deal with the demands by the humans living in the Anderfels – every so often they’d forget that it was Nemo who’d put up the magical wall that allowed them to survive long enough to become an annoying kingdom. 

In the passing millennia they had grown to be a thorn in her side. They wanted her support in marching on Elvhenan, they wanted better trade deals, they wanted, they wanted and Nemo had one thing to say – get fucked. Maybe she’d see about sending an official ambassador to them or maybe she'll just cut off trade with the Anderfels entirely. It's not like Vidas really needs the trade, but it had been useful back in the day.

Nemo sighs and goes to her rooms – munching on one of the apple turnovers she’d nicked from the kitchens. “Hey love, sorry I’m late – it’s been one of those days.” She calls out to Isshin, who puts down the book he’s been reading and comes over to wrap her in a hug. It’s such a comfort and she tells him so, leaning into his strength. (She’s lost her willingness to stand alone and that will hurt like a bitch when she loses him but every time it's happened before she’s survived it, she'll survive this as well). Pushing away from his warmth, she moves over to the dresser and begins to undo her jewellery – the meetings had required the extra fanciness. 

He comes over and watches her - Nemo smiles at him in the mirror "How was your day?" She asks and they fall into an easy conversation, and end up on the couches both reading their own books - it's a more than pleasant way to spend the evening and Nemo's so glad she gets to have this, for the next few decades at least. 

The next day Nemo returns to Hirata - she'd had an idea during the night for Emma's outfit and wants to talk it over with her friend. She's also needing to catch up with Kuro regarding the severance of his Dragon's Heritage. After tea and fashion discussion she finds her boy - and for all Emma and Wolf will be the ones who formally adopt Kuro, Nemo can't help but think of him as hers as well. They go down to the river and skip stones along its surface. "Kuro-venyi, I've been thinking about the divine severance."  
"As have I Nemo; I still wish to see it severed, I want..."  
"Whatever you want that's in my power to grant you'll have. And if that's to grow up and work in Ash's shop or open one of your own - I will see it happen."

"Thank you," he appreciates that Nemo is serious about this. "Do you have any further thoughts? I know we have all the ingredients - Wolf's locked away the dragon's tears somewhere safe."  
"I do - we have time to do more intensive research, at the moment severance will kill you, purification will kill Wolf and I'm not entirely certain Takara's plan to return the heritage would work now that Ashina is sundered from the world it began in. Thus our two options both end up with one of my vhenana dead and thus I think we need to wait"  
"What can we do?"

"I'd like to consult with some of the mages in Vidas - there are several who specialise in soul magic and necromancy - the restoration of life and they may be able to give input. Will a few months or even years trouble you overly?"  
"Not at all - I am not, I did not want to die. I do not want Wolf to die for me - more than he already has. When will you meet with them?"  
"If you do not mind the delay probably after Summer's titheweek. That will see both weddings out of the way and my time freed up to help assist you with this."  
"That seems fine to me, thank you Nemo."

They pass a pleasant hour after their talk - Nemo teaches Kuro how to water-walk, and when he expresses shock starts explaining her theories about magical ability. He picks it up as fast as he'd learned the katas she'd taught him and then they race along the river, to the bridge and back again.

Nemo and Leonidas have been working together for a week to enlarge one of the community gardens in the south of Vidas, when the conversation turned to his recent wedding and from there to whether Lord Isshin would get around to acting on the customs he’d asked about. Nemo laughs and asks “Can you keep a secret?”  
‘Always. You know me, Nemo.”

So as they work she explains some of the rather convoluted path she and Isshin had taken to get to the point where they were now planning a wedding.  
“You’ve not announced that!”  
“We’re telling family and close friends first – and we wanted to have an idea of what we wanted before everything blew up into a spectacle.”  
Leonidas smiles “that’s fair. If you need help?”  
“I was planning on asking you about that actually. You see I was thinking…”

Meanwhile Genichiro had decided that he would like to visit Ashina and see his grandfather again. A few of his friends from court had come up to the mountains with him, though they left before he’d made it to Vidas. He was impressed as he walked through the outskirts of Ashina, taking a meandering road to the castle, for everywhere he looked there was bustle, and restored buildings and the laughter of children. Isshin is waiting for him, and he bows – then is caught up in a tight hug, and his grandfather whispers “Welcome home, my boy.”

They spend a pleasant afternoon together, and Genichiro accepts when Isshin extends him an invitation for dinner. He brought a gift of wine and is pouring when Nemo arrives. She’s wearing her gardening clothes still – faded emerald green shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and dark leather pants that are covered in dust. “Oh, I didn’t realise you had company.” She says and smiles in greeting “Lord Genichiro, it is good to see you.”

“And you, Lady Nemo,” he replies, bowing from his seat. Magic shimmers over her like a heat wave – her clothing changes to a similar but much nicer (and cleaner) version as she sits down with them. Isshin kisses her cheek and Genichiro’s eyebrows rise at the casual affection. “Lady Nemo?”  
“Yes?”  
“Should I be calling you grandmother?”  
She laughs “That sounds so odd. And it’s not true.”  
“Yet, my dear.” Isshin chimes in, “but soon it will be.”  
Nemo shakes her head at him, “Only if Lord Genichiro wishes to claim the relationship. I would not impose myself in such a way. Family should always be chosen.”

“You didn’t raise a sword against me.”  
“Because you are the grandson of the man I love. Because family is important.”  
“I’d be honoured if you would consider us family.”  
“Genichiro,” she replies with a gentle smile “I already do. However if you try to call me grandma I will beat you into the ground in a spar. I am Nemo.”  
He got that grin from his grandfather “I’d like to spar with you again, _grandmother_.”  
“Very well. Dinner first though.”

After dinners settled they head up to the rooftop, Isshin comes with them to watch. Nemo calls Kaedne to her – the sword appears near instantly and settles in her hand, as she shifts it up into guard lightning runs along it. Genichiro raises his own sword and moves first – they meet in a clang as the blades deflect and this time Nemo isn’t holding back. A bare few minutes later when he sends a wave of lightning at her she uses it to move through – and her sword is up against his side, if she’d carried through that blow he’d be dead.

“You were holding back.”  
“Yes. Again?”  
He nods, and Isshin asks if they can make it a family affair, Nemo smiles over her shoulder “I’m good with it.”  
“I could use some help, grandfather.”  
“It is wisdom indeed to know when to ask for help.” He replies, and draws his sword.   
Nemo considers her options, sheathes Kaedne and draws out her wand which becomes the bladed staff in her hands. She moves back towards the edge of the arena so that she can keep both men in view and then waits to see what they’ll do as lightning lingers in her hair.

Isshin moves in, even as she counters his swing, she twists the staff around to deflect the two arrows that Genichiro had shot at her, allows the lightning to shoot back towards him and he deflects it which gives her time to counter a series of fast and furious attacks from Isshin. She stretches out her senses and hears Genichiro moving towards them, she drops and rolls underneath Isshin’s blade – they’re good enough that they don’t get tangled sadly but Nemo’s already running – up the pillar and inverting gravity so that she can stick to the ceiling with ease.

“Nemo…” Isshin sighs at her and she grins down at them – easily dodging the arrows that Genichiro fires up, and then she laughs, shifts her staff to her left hand and catches the next arrow he sends, sets it on fire and throws it back at him, jumping down after it and knocking Isshin’s sword out of his hands with the butt of her staff. 

Nemo blurs as she grabs up the longer sword, twists around to block Genichiro’s swing on Isshin’s blade, when he puts weight behind it she grins wide and fierce, spins her staff so that his sword is trapped between the two blades she holds and pulls – he lets go in order to not ruin his hands and even as his sword clatters to the ground Nemo has her fiancé’s katana at his throat.

She grins as he yields the match. “Genichiro,” she says, “would you consider taking on the role of official Ashina Ambassador to New Elvhenan.” The segue throws the younger man and Nemo continues “one day you will rule Ashina. Until then I think it would suit your capabilities – you’ve established a relationship with Fen’Harel and his court that will serve you well.”  
"You would trust me so far, Nemo?"  
"I trust you to do right by Ashina. I do not hold your actions that day against you, Genichiro."  
He bows to her, “Thank you.”  
“Come visit us more often,” she replies, drawing him up out of the bow and into a gentle one-armed hug, “you’re family.”  
“I will.” Genichiro stays the night, and promises to return for the summer festival and their wedding.

Just before the summer festival Nemo tells Isshin that she’ll be away for three days – it seems odd to him but he nods and tells her to take care. She leaves in the middle of the night, and a wild storm blows in – one that covers both Vidas and Ashina full of pelting rain. No crops are harmed – her magic sees to that.

Every year she takes three days. A storm rolls in and it doesn’t stop raining for 72 hours. She finds somewhere high and quiet to sit, atop a building, sometimes on a mountainside and lets the rain drench her. No food, no drink, no magic beyond the low level healing spell to ensure she doesn’t take ill from the fast and the cold. Into the empty air she recites names - from the most recent loss to the earliest, ones whose names are all she carries now. Hot tears and cold rain bathe her cheeks.

This year she chose to sit on the rooftop of a dilapidated temple, a silent statue. This year when midnight comes on the third day - with a whispered name that no-one knows she steps down, her skin as pale as her scars - near white with cold, water shimmering against her hair and there’s a gentle light in the doorway.

She’s drawn to it, though even from the door the warmth of the low-burning fire is almost too hot to bear. Isshin is there - Nemo stands in the doorway watching her almost-husband only a few weeks left now in their engagement as he fusses with a teapot and china. The smell of fresh jasmine fills the room and he turns to see her watching, hides his reaction to how she looks with a gentle smile. A few steps means that he's close enough to touch her - his hand is too warm, she nearly flinches away from it.

He backs off, worry in his gaze, and gestures - she sees a blanket laid out in the furthest corner from the fire, something twinges beneath the weight of the water and grief so she goes and sits down, quietly watching him. The cup of jasmine tea he brings her - she recognises the china, it's insulated so that the cups do not heat up. Such thoughtfulness chips away at the ice-cold that shrouds her heart and soul, and when she sips at it, it's just more than luke-warm, enough to stop it from being bitter. He sits down next to her, close enough to touch without actually doing so.

Nemo lays down after she finishes the tea, her head on his thigh and he still says not a word as she lets herself cry some more. When the warmth starts to seep in to her, and she shivers he drapes the outer robe he was wearing across her, and he smiles when she curls into it, shifting closer to him. Isshin gently lays a hand on her head, when she doesn't flinch away from it he starts stroking her hair. She hums a little and slowly lets herself thaw. He doesn't ask at all, not then, not as the storm fades into the distance and dawn light comes. Not when she shifts so that she's curled up on his lap, her head on his shoulder.

So she tells him a name, two syllables, in thanks and in love.  
And lets him carry her home.

The summer festival in many ways is a mirror of the Winter festival – there’s a bead ceremony, dancing, competitions galore. And this Summer sees Ashina delicacies served alongside Vidaen dishes, sees mixed Ashina and Vidas pairings in many of the competitions, especially the bladework but there’s some among the Ashina who decided to see what they could do with magic – Seiji among them, his lightning affinity has grown into a masterful level of skill as a weather mage. 

At the start of the festival Nemo announces that her wedding to Isshin will be at midday on the third day. She’d already organised catering and had sent a message to Genichiro, and Solas inviting them. Genichiro arrives on the morning of the second festival day, and is immediately swept up into the festivities. Several of his court friends accompany him, and he introduces both Nemo and Isshin to a spirit of Curiosity whom he is fond of.

That night as the bonfires begin to burn, Nemo stands from where she’d been telling stories to the gathered children and goes over to the group that adopted Orangutan. “Will you dance with me?” She asks the sculptor – who had eventually agreed to a prosthetic arm, a simple one made with wood and magic to assist his carving.  
“I don’t think so.”  
“Please?” She uses her best persuasive tone and with a lot of grumbling he allows her to help him up and join the dancers.

Nemo made sure to pick one of the easy circle dances, it’s fast but simple and the kind of dance that’s more about moving together than perfect steps. By the end of it Sekijo is smiling, and allows himself to be pulled into another group of dancers. Nemo’s tapped on the shoulder by her grandson, and when she raises an eyebrow at him, Genichiro bows and offers his arm. They dance, and Nemo gets him talking about Elvhenan and about Curiosity.

When the dance ends, Nemo leads Genichiro off to the side and they keep talking – making the tentative connection between them more solid. Curiosity comes over as well and she’s just lovely, bubbly and bright. The three of them have a wonderful conversation before Nemo gets pulled away by Kai.

The morning of her wedding day dawns clear and bright. Nemo had told Isshin to spend the night at Ashina castle – they’d meet at midday on the bridge between their two lands. So she spends the morning having a long and lazy bath, complete with mimosa and eggy-toast.

The lotion she uses on her skin once she gets out of the bath has a subtle shimmer to it, flecks of silver and gold that will glimmer in the sunlight. She moves out from the sanctuary wrapped in a light robe to the end-room of the walk in robe. When she takes off the robe Nemo drops the illusion that hides her tattoo – it’ll be covered by the dress but she won’t hide it, not today.

The dress is a masterwork, Leonidas had helped her grow hydrangeas – the first cuttings had come from Hirata, and the blue petals made a most excellent dye, creating an elegant ombre effect from the near-white electrum down to rich lazuli. The stiffened collar is embroidered with the patterns of both of their houses in silver, gold and shifting purple-blue gemstone thread and the embroidery continues down the dress, framing both sides of the narrow and deep V. The base of the gown is covered in magically preserved petals, the deep blue of hydrangeas, the rich violet of plum blossom and the indigo in-between of the roses that Nemo grows in her garden.

It fits her like a glove, and she uses just a little magic to make sure everything’s tight and loose in the correct places. She dons no makeup, instead releases the glamour that keeps her features more human than Other. The angles of her face grow sharper; her eyes sparkle with gold and purple. Her lips are dark glittery red, and when she smiles her canines are that little bit more pronounced, more like fangs than teeth. 

She wears her hair in a braided crown, fills it with pin-knives glimmering white, purple and blue. No crown, no necklace though she does indulge in a pair of dangle earrings, falling stones and chains that reflect the same shift in colour as her dress. The shoes she chooses are firebird heels, which create sparks when they’re dragged back against the stone pavers. Her fingernails grow long and sharp, pale gold and slightly curved like talons. Thus adorned, Nemo checks the time, and seeing that it is nearly midday cloaks herself with an invisibility spell and begins to walk down through Vidas.

Everyone has gathered, the mages created floating platforms full of seating that hover both sides of the bridge. Nemo bites her lip against a sudden case of nerves – compared to her only other wedding there’s over ten times the people here. She reaches, empathically for Isshin – his love is a steady, calm warmth that grounds her. The children have scattered a carpet of petals to the bridge, and when Nemo comes to the edge she drops the invisibility – and is just vain enough to appreciate the gasps and whispers that swell with her appearance.

She steps onto the petals – as she walks, keeping her steps light, they release a beautiful fragrance. Magic gathers in her wake, forms a cloak that shines like a nebula, shifting light and power that seems to almost sing. The song is picked up by the crowd – first just one or two voices that become a choir singing

_This is my love for you – the ocean waves, an endless tide  
Fires deep at the world’s heart, the air we breathe as one  
Forever and ever I will promise to stay close by your side  
Until the last star falls, until the end of all, I am undone  
By my love for you, by your love for me, by love, by love  
I am undone  
By my love for you, by your love for me, by love, by love  
Undone_

Nemo steps on to the bridge as the chorus swells around her, and sees Isshin – they have equally stunned expressions. He’s never seen anyone as beautiful – it’s not even the dress which is stunning, it’s the way she’s smiling at him, the love and awe shining in her eyes that makes her beautiful.

She never dreamed that he would choose – he’s wearing formal Ashina robes, but their colours are her house colours, the embroidery patterns their house symbols – in white-silver and a match for the pattern on her dress, and Nemo knows that Kardrossa is behind that one. He is wearing the circlet she made him, and if Nemo is asked her eyes are a little watery because of the wind, no other reason.

One night, not long after Isshin had asked her to marry him, Nemo had explained the traditional Vidaen vows and why she did not want to use them. Together they came up with a short set that reflected what they hoped for, what they wished for with nods to both of their heritages. Isshin takes her hands in his, and he can’t stop smiling, but neither can Nemo. In front of all their people, their family and friends they exchange vows – to love until death, to trust and support, to make home with the other and to let none separate them. They drink sake after and when he kisses her to the wild cheering and applause Nemo has never felt so happy.

The ceremony itself is short but the party – it elevates the festival to a whole other level, the flower petals are everywhere, covering the streets and the square’s covered in garlands, with food and drink for all, Nemo and Isshin open the dancing at around two that afternoon and they don’t stop until after the sun’s set – toasting and dancing and it’s just such a joyous occasion. Nemo overhears at least three of her bard friends crafting songs about it and shakes her head. She sings for them all when the fires are lit – a song of love waiting and fulfilled.

When the two of them go to leave, so many of their friends come up to bid them farewell. It takes quite some time but they finally get away from the crowds of well-wishers.   
"My place or yours?" She asks him with a smile.  
"Yours, it's closer."  
"Fair enough," she laughs, "also I can do this," and she grabs his hand, concentrates and then steps them both straight into her rooms.  
"You never cease to amaze me, love." He tells her, and wonders if he’ll ever get used to how she does such fantastical things as easily as breathing.

Speaking of, she breathes out, and a few dozen candles light - in their glow the brashness of the colouring in her room becomes transformed into soft opulence. "Take a seat," she says, "Watch me."  
" _Salierath_ ," he replies, "for you, anything." He sits on the bed, and Nemo smiles as she takes off the dress stepping out of it, she half turns away revealing the silver-blue tattoo on her hip as she bends down to pick up the dress and sends it to its right place in the dressing room. 

"Nemo." Isshin's voice is rough, "Nemo, come here." She glides over to stand in front of him, the heels she still wears giving her an unearthly grace. Her smile is just a little smug, "Yes dearest?"  
"Turn around for me?" when she does so, he can't help but reach out and she shivers slightly as he traces the graceful lines of his name. "When did you get this done, love?"  
"I did it myself, the night you wrote it. I wanted your name on my skin, the reminder of what we have, what we are - always."  
He hauls her off her feet and into his arms, kisses her thoroughly 

“You like it then?” There's laughter threaded through her voice when he lets her breathe.  
"Like is an understatement," he replies as his hands begin to busily pluck pins out from her hair. "I love you. Beautiful wife."   
She shudders, there's such feeling in his words, and they resonate throughout her soul. "I love you too. My husband."

Her hair tumbles down around them, and he nudges her off his lap for a moment – she picks up his thought and laughs easily "Need a hand?"   
"Sure," he replies and then raises an eyebrow when his clothes all vanish "Nemo?!"   
Her hands are stroking over bared skin greedily. "I'm impatient," she replies.   
“We have time enough," he tells her, and she kisses his brow softly and reverently.  
"Alright, then." She takes a deep steadying breath, and then reaches for her husband.

After, she rolls over to face him; her eyes unfocussing in the way he associates with her healing abilities. She blinks and then raises both brows, "Isshin did someone offer you a drink called _cupio efeu_?"  
"That's a specific thing to be asking..."  
"There's a reason I am - it's not idle curiosity."  
"Yes. It was good - smooth and rich and heady."  
"It would be. It's also a rather potent aphrodisiac."

He kisses her shoulder again, "problem with that?"  
"No. They're not something I would personally use but I don't mind that you have."  
"Why not?"  
"At the risk of ruining the mood because there are those who would use such a thing to claim consent was given when it was not."  
"I see. You sure you don't mind?"  
"Of course I don’t, love." she kisses him back, gentle and sweet. “You’re mine and I trust you.”

Isshin breaks away from her lips to scatter light kisses across her face, and she smiles, "guess it's a good thing I don't need much in the way of rest."  
He laughs low and asks "you were planning on sleeping much at all?"  
"Not really," her grin is bright and joyous. 

He kisses her once, so soft and gentle that she wants to cry, nearly and then he begins to touch her, his hands stroke her hair back from her face, the paths they trace he follows with his lips and he takes his time, not willing to rush. Nemo lets herself drift on the feeling of being so thoroughly appreciated, time stretches out, and there’s no rush, no rush just gentleness. 

The next day of the festival is as beautiful as the previous one. Despite their late night and lack of sleep Nemo and Isshin are both up with the sun in order to walk over to Hirata for the wedding of Wolf and Emma.

Emma wears formal robes, silvery-white silk Nemo had hand painted with a gardens worth of shifting purple plum blossom and green leaves highlighted with fine golden thread. She wears the hair knives Wolf had bought her and two strands of necklaces – one of carved wooden beads, the other a twisting braid of unakite. (Nemo had badgered Wolf into getting some formal robes himself – even allowed the compromise of ensuring they had carefully worked in fine chain that would provide the safety and protection he was used to. And he looked very fine indeed.)

The small ceremony for the two of them is relatively private, held under the cherry blossom tree in Hirata – Leonidas had worked a minor miracle to grow it in time, and he and Ash had joined the small group who were standing witness. Nemo sings for them, it’s a song that is their story and their hope and their joy. And after the wedding ceremony, they invite Kuro formally to become their son, he accepts gladly. Takara tells Nemo that they’d offered to do so for her but she’s not yet sure if she’ll accept.

It makes Nemo smile to see her family so happy, and she weaves magic throughout the ceremony – longevity, health, happiness, love will follow them as long as they shall live. They return to the festival full of hope and joy for the future.

Nemo drags Isshin off relatively early into the party that evening – and they get knowing smiles and laughter but, hey this is technically their honeymoon, she’s allowed to want to spend time with her husband. For the first time in millennia she’d even paid the tithe for the following week rather than her time because honeymoon. They wouldn’t have missed Emma and Wolf’s wedding for anything though, or Kuro’s adoption. Because they’re family the five of them, six including the Sculptor who had been dancing with Emma when Isshin and Nemo had made their farewells.

They end up in her sanctuary – and it’s a deliberate choice on Isshin’s part – which Nemo picks up on and so she, as she often does, pushes him against the door and kisses him breathless, “what are you planning love?”  
He pushes back against her and she lets him go – he crosses to where he left the parcel that he’d gotten earlier and presents it to her. She takes it from him and sits herself down to open it, and the results of the gift are even better than he'd dreamed of.

He presses a gentle kiss to the scar over her eye and tells her how much he loves her, and how beautiful she is, how she’s his. He tells her in his language and in hers – she’d no idea he’d learned so much Vidaen. Using magic is probably cheating a little but she wraps him in the metaphysical equivalent of a hug. He laughs a little and kisses her hair “Do you want a bath?”  
“That sounds amazing. Please.”

He lifts her effortlessly, the bath is already steaming and the hot water feels like bliss against her skin, drawing out the aches that linger in her muscles. Isshin doesn’t let her go, and they drift together a while in the warmth. His hand traces circles over her back and lingers at her tattoo, Nemo smiles, perfectly content.

“As long as I have, I am yours.” He tells her once they’re back in bed snuggled up together under the covers.   
“I love you too,” she replies “Want to have a lazy day tomorrow?”  
“Sounds wonderful, _salierath_.” They fall asleep with fingers entwined. 

And the dawn breaks over two countries at peace.


End file.
